100 Moods, 100 Fics
by BregoArodShadowfax
Summary: Inspired by the 100 Moods challenge over at LiveJournal, 100 fics under 500 words revolving around the mood topic listed. General Warnings for yaoi, but many of these could just be construed as gen. Reviews are always appreciated.
1. Accomplished to Bored

**100 Moods**

**Disclaimer: Of course One Piece isn't mine! It belongs to the marvellous Eiichiro Oda; I'm just borrowing his characters for the sake of fanfiction.**

**There's a little community over at LiveJournal called 100 Moods, where basically there's a table with 100 moods and you have to write a story on each one. The whole community goes through this claiming process and what-not, and so while I'm not technically writing it for **_**them, **_**I thought it would be a good challenge nonetheless. It's given me a chance to write a lot of characters/situations that I never have, and that's always nice as a writer! **

**That being said, some of these drabbles **_**will **_**contain yaoi, so please don't flame. You've been warned. Other than that, I hope you all enjoy! These are just the first 10, but I make no promises on the next batch…I'll try to post in batches of ten just to make it easier to read. My other challenge for myself was keeping all of these 500 words or less, so I think that worked out okay! **

**Enjoy! And please don't be afraid to review and say which ones you like the best! **

**100 Moods**

**Set One: Accomplished - Bored**

**Mood: Accomplished**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairings: None; just general Nakama-ship**

**Words: 375**

"Yatta!"

"Yosh, Chopper, we finally did it!"

"Ow! There's nobody on the sea more _super _than us!"

Nami glanced up from her newspaper and sighed, watching the idiot trio cavort around on the upper deck. "What are they talking about now?"

"We did it, Nami!" Usopp crowed triumphantly. "We've finally created the ultimate pachinko ball!"

"Ultimate pachinko ball!" Chopper echoed happily. "It's taken us _weeks _to get the proper formula!"

"And it's all right…" Usopp reached for the mixing bowl he had tucked behind him, only to find it missing. "…here."

"AAH! SOMEBODY'S STOLEN OUR FORMULA!"

"Ow! That is so totally _not _super, dudes!"

"What's all the racket out here?" Zoro appeared on the deck, scratching his head.

"Zoro! Our secret mixture was stolen!"

"Wha…oh, you mean that new marinade the idiot cook's got going in there?"

There was abut three seconds of complete silence before all three yelled, "SANJI!"

"What?" Sanji stuck his head out of the galley.

"Did you…did you just…_steal_…our secret weapon?" Usopp sputtered, turning a remarkable shade of red.

"You stole my bowl without asking," Sanji shrugged. "Oh, and by the way? Tabasco, basil and cola go together remarkably well. Thanks for the help," he raised a hand in a wave and disappeared, leaving Chopper, Usopp and Franky collapsed in depressed heaps on the deck.

"Well. That'll teach them," Nami went back to reading her newspaper and Zoro, deciding the fun was over, went back to sleeping.

"But I wonder where Captain-san has gone to?" Robin asked aloud.

However, her question was answered quite quickly, as a shout of "_Luffy, you idiot! That was for tonight's marinade!" _rang from the galley. This roused another groan from the trio on the deck, and Nami sighed and rubbed her temples.

"I suppose nobody's going to be able to utilize that sauce now," Robin commented.

"Yosha! We'll just try again!"

"Again! Again!"

"Super!"

Franky struck a pose just as Luffy went careening by him, and the muffled cursing from the deck below informed them all that he had just had an unfortunate collision with their swordsman.

"It's going to be one of _those _days, isn't it?" Nami asked nobody in particular.

Although a nearby chuckle told her that Robin, at least, had been listening.

**Mood: Amused**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairings: Implied LuccixKaku**

**Word Count: 454**

Because really, it was hard not to be when dealing with absolute _idiots _twenty-four hours a day, she thought absently as she took a sip of her coffee.

Well, granted, they weren't _all _idiots, but for the most part…

And of course this was supposed to be a meeting, wasn't it? She sighed and lit a cigarette, wondering whether a convention of morons counted as a serious instructional meeting. But then, if the answer was 'no,' they'd never actually _had _a serious instructional meeting.

"Kalifa! Do something! This is getting out of hand!"

"Sexual harassment," she said absently, as Spandam sputtered and inevitably spilt coffee on his hand.

Glancing up, she noticed Blueno was looking rather resigned, but since he was probably the only normal one (besides her, that was a given) of the bunch, that was hardly surprising. Fukurou was spouting off about some rumor or other (seemingly involving a detachment of marines and a killer bat, and after that she more or less ignored him) and Jyabura was lamenting the office girl again (Gyatherine. He'd been off-and-on with her for as long as Kalifa had been in CP9, and she was truly an ugly thing. Not that he deserved better, the inconsiderate cur, but Kalifa couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor girl. Maybe she'd have a chat with her) while Kumadori was praying rather fervently for their blessed union (fervently and _loudly, _unfortunately).

She resumed drinking her coffee and met the eyes of the new boy (poor lad, being roped in with these jokers) and he gave her a weak smile. Cute little thing, except for his nose, but the boy couldn't help it.

However, she was going to need to talk to him as well. Because if the slightly-shy looks he kept directing at Lucci were any indication, he was in far over his head.

At least, she thought so until Lucci looked back at him, dark and forbidding yet with a hint of something almost-human in his eyes, and stood, Hattori fluttering to his shoulder as he jerked his head to the side and the boy nearly fell over attempting to stand up and follow him out.

Well. _This _was new. Apparently Rob Lucci had needs just like every other man, although she'd never seen evidence of it before. Of course…she looked back at the rest of the jokers and realized that if _this _was all he had to choose from, she couldn't blame him for holding off.

"W-wait! Where's he going?! The meeting hasn't even...Kalifa, go…"

"Sexual harassment," she replied automatically, and Spandam shut up, nursing his burnt finger while she sat back comfortably and just watched, an amused smile slowly making its way onto her face.

**Mood: Angry**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairings: None, really. Probably IceburgxFranky in some respect.**

**Word Count: 500 on the dot**

He stands staring at the calm, blue water, thinking on the irony of it all. If the ocean could reflect one's thoughts, it would be storm-grey, lightning streaking the sky and waves the size of buildings crashing onto him. Stronger than Aqua Laguna could ever be, because nothing else could do justice to the roiling mess of emotions filling him.

One day. No, not even. One _hour _and the two most important men in his life were gone. Just…gone. And if he looks hard enough, he swears he can still see the trail of smoke from the Sea Train, puffing its way to Enies Lobby and the Gates of Justice and…

He collapses on the ground with a shaky sob, fist pounding the hard rock until it _hurts _and he realizes that it isn't getting him anywhere. It's his fault.

No, not Tom. Tom knew that perhaps one day their idyllic life could crumble, and all because that scum-sucker Spandam was an evil, lying, manipulative…

He couldn't deny smiling when Franky had all but shattered his face, but that brought him right back to thoughts he'd rather ignore. Because Franky _was _his fault. Franky being…dead.

And all because he got angry. Lost control of his actions because of the onslaught of emotions, said those unforgivable words to his best friend…only friend, really, no matter how annoying and childish and utterly _idiotic _he can…_could _be, and thinking of it in the past tense only makes everything more real, more tangible, and _what was that idiot thinking, trying to best a train? _

The tears are stopping now, drying to leave streaks down his face that cool rapidly in the sea breeze, and he leans forward, forehead to the ground, and reflects on the age-old adage that if he could take the words back; if he could just tell Franky that he forgives him…it won't bring Tom back; nothing can do that now, but maybe it could mean that only one part of his heart had to die today.

This sunny, too-bright, pleasantly warm day, and he stands up only a tad shakily and puts a hand over his heart, dark blue hair whipping into his eyes and dark lips compressed into a tight, mirthless grin as he makes those two his final promise.

Because if Franky will never be able to reach his dream, he'll just have to do it for him. He'll find the best shipbuilders on the Grand Line…no, the world, and he'll build that dream ship, that ship which will travel a thousand seas and circle the world a hundred times. He owes Franky that much.

With one last glance out toward that deceptively blue sea, one last look toward the island where the sun never sets, he turns on his heel, scrubs his eyes, sticks his hands nonchalantly in his pockets, and heads toward town.

Kokoro will probably need groceries for dinner, he figures.

And then maybe he'll get started on finding those shipwrights.

_For Tom…._

_And Franky. _

**Mood: Annoyed**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairings: None**

**Word Count: 397**

Nami was seriously annoyed. She had _already_ told the numbskulls that made up her crew that she was _busy mapmaking _and therefore _no noise would be tolerated, _but they just didn't seem to _get _it.

Luffy, her dear captain, was hanging by his knees over the railing and fishing upside down, occasionally trilling "_Su-geeeeeiiii!" _whenever the ship went over a particularly large wave. Chopper alternated between screeching that Luffy was going to die and covering his eyes and laughing and clapping his little hooves together, and Usopp was telling some rather elaborate story on how the Great Captaaaaaain Usopp-sama had once caught a hundred fish by fishing upside down. At once.

Franky was nowhere to be seen, but judging by the shouts of _"Suuuu-peeeeer!" _resonating from below-decks, he was obviously working on something important. To him, at least.

And Brook…she swore, if she heard that darned 'Bink's Sake' _one more time _she was going to crack that violin over his head, and then he'd see what a _real _'skull joke' was.

Robin chuckled softly at her obvious exasperation, and while she couldn't be mad at the mature archaeologist, even _she _wasn't completely quiet; the clink of her tea cup on her saucer and the periodic flipping of newspaper pages filled the air.

And the idiot duo…they were the worst of the lot by far, and at the moment were engaged in a rather heated duel on the upper deck. The pointed 'thunk-clank' of soled shoes meeting crossed swords reverberated around the entire ship, and eventually she just had enough. "_Sanji-kun! Zoro! Shut up!" _

"_Haiii, Nami-swaaaan!" _

"Oi, _baka-_cook, you that woman's dog now? She got you whipped?"

"I'm going to knock that sword so hard all of your _teeth _will fall out, you green-headed mutation!"

Cue more thunks and clanks, and Nami groaned and slumped over her map, more than likely smudging the ink in the process.

"Nami-san? Perhaps the cabin would be more profitable to your sanity," Robin cut in smoothly, and Nami heaved a resigned sigh and gathered up her materials.

"You're probably right, Robin. I'll head in now."

She made her way past the fighting idiots and thumped both of them in the head for good measure, calls of "Darn witch!" and "Nami-san is so _lovely _when she's angry!" following her into the cabin.

She was still annoyed.

But maybe just a little less so.

**Mood: Anxious**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairings: If you want it, SmokerxAce **

**Word Count: 493**

He'd never admit it to himself, of course. Never admit that the reason he moved his troops to Marine Headquarters so fast was that the impending execution hit a place far, far too close to the heart that he rarely let get in the way of his job. Tashigi had questioned him at first, wondering whether they should complete their original mission before heading to the stronghold, but he had assured her the orders requested _immediate _attendance.

They hadn't. It had been a lie, and he had a feeling that his brilliant second-in-command knew it, but she had merely nodded and given the order, not one to question matters such as these.

Whatever 'these' were, and that was the problem, because for the first time in his long career as a Marine officer, he was questioning whether or not he could sit by and watch, with no emotion, as a wanted pirate got executed.

But this wasn't _just _some wanted pirate. This was a child, a boy who had done nothing wrong.

In fact, he was downright honourable for a pirate: only wanting to avenge the wrongful death of one of his own. He himself would have probably done the same thing, if one of his men had killed another. So what kind of hypocrite was he, to watch a man die who had acted no different than he himself would? What kind of _man _was he?

And he knew why it had to be done: to eliminate the two biggest threats left to the World Government: Whitebeard, who would come because he thought so much of the boy, and Dragon, who would come because he was the boy's father, of all things.

All of his hopes were now on the younger D brother, with the insufferable good-humor and the infectious smile who would do _anything _for his concept of nakama. He knew the boy wouldn't let his brother die without a darn good fight, and knowing Luffy personally, he figured that the boy would probably rather die himself than let his brother be wrongfully executed.

But…why should he care? Why did this…this…snarky, rebellious, freckle-faced young man affect him so much that he considered disobeying direct orders just to save him? A pirate?

He sighed, exhaling a cloud of greenish-grey smoke, and watched the Marine stronghold appear on the horizon. He'd decide what to do later…or not at all, if Monkey D. Luffy had anything to do with it.

For once, he really hoped the would-be pirate king would get there in time. Because if he didn't, Marine Commodore Smoker may have to implement his own brand of justice.

For a boy he shouldn't care about but couldn't deny he did.

For a _man _who had far more honor than half of the Marines he knew.

For an enemy; a rival; a pirate who worked for the other side and yet had the same values.

For an equal.

For…

For Portgas D. Ace.

**Mood: Apathetic**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairings: Mild LuSopp, or just strong friendship**

**Word Count: 351**

By nature, Monkey D. Luffy was not an apathetic person. He had strong opinions on everything from what nakama truly meant to what kind of fish he liked the best. And meat. And appetizers (those funny little things on sticks Sanji served before dinner). And dessert.

But especially meat, and…well, he wasn't an apathetic person. And in his heart, all he wanted to do was scream from the mainmast that he _wanted Usopp back_. But he couldn't. He…Zoro met his eyes, and the hooded gaze the swordsman bestowed on him told him clearer than words that it was lose Usopp or lose Zoro, and the respect of his entire crew.

So he couldn't. He had to stand there, dodging cannonballs sent from his grandfather's ship, with no expression on his normally laughter-filled face and a stony glare levelled at the sobbing, pitiful wreck of a boy back on the shore, amongst the scrap pieces of ships that once sailed the ocean…ships like Merry, who was fixed with those very pieces to make that final journey.

And Luffy loved the little ship, but sometimes you just had to let go. He understood Usopp: Merry was like Hat, and it would tear Luffy right from the inside if he _ever _had to give up Hat. But some things were more important; nakama was more important, no matter how wonderful a vessel the little ram-headed caravel was.

He could hear every word Usopp said; every sob, every painful gasp of breath, and it _broke _him, _shattered _the part of his heart he tried to harden and he couldn't…he couldn't take it, he had to…he had to…

But Usopp beat him to it, and screamed those two words to the wind: _I'm sorry._

And that was it, Usopp was rocketing back onto the ship, back into _his arms, _and he held his friend tightly and laughed and cried and _felt _himself heal from the inside. Zoro's approving smile only convinced him that this was _right, _and he swore to himself that he and Usopp were never, ever going to have a fight like that again.

**Mood: Aroused**

**Rating: R (yaoi and swordplay)  
**

**Pairing: ZoSan (you knew it was coming…)**

**Word Count: 460**

The only reason he agreed to this was because Zoro had promised him that the next time, he'd call the shots.

The only reason.

Otherwise there _was_ no reason for him to be spread out on a pile of blankets in the storage locker, blindfolded with Zoro's bandana and with both hands and feet restrained so he couldn't so much as _move_.

The gasp that broke from his throat at the first touch was uncontrollable, and as the blade...

"Oi, Marimo, you sure you can use that sword on me? I'm important…enough…"

"I don't trust Kitetsu, and Shuusui is too new," was the brisk response. "Wadou won't hurt you, at least."

"At least? What does…nnn…" Sanji arched, the slow circling of the cool metal around a rapidly hardening nipple sending small ripples of pleasure to his groin. Zoro was moving so _slowly, _and the sensory overload was overwhelming, ice-cold metal around one nipple and Zoro's hot, hot mouth on the other, blade and man moving in perfect harmony as Sanji moaned and thrashed, feeling himself harden as Zoro's free hand ghosted down his stomach, over the fastenings of his pants to rub at the growing bulge.

The sword moved, sharp edge trailing up to his throat, caressing the pale flesh with enough pressure to break the skin, but it didn't, and Sanji couldn't deny holding his breath as it stroked over his jugular.

He felt Zoro's mouth pressing small kisses down to his waistband, undoing the belt, button and zipper with one hand and pushing the black slacks down while Wadou swept over his thin boxers, sensually tracing around his arousal as Sanji moaned in need, wrists unknowingly tugging at his bonds as Zoro's mouth replaced the sword, heat through thin fabric and Sanji _needed Zoro to do something_.

The white sword moved over his thighs then, tracing down his legs before he heard the 'clink' of it being set down and Zoro moved, claiming his mouth with a highly calculated and, for Zoro, highly hedonistic kiss as his tongue stroked Sanji's, one hand undoing the blindfold as Zoro moved to kiss his eyelids gently before letting him open his eyes.

"Marimo…"

"Don't," Zoro put a finger over his lips and kissed and nipped his way down Sanji's pale body, fingers sliding into the waistband of his boxers and slipping them off as Sanji let out a whine at the need for pressure where he craved it most.

With one last glance at the blonde, desire and trust showing plainly in both sets of eyes, Zoro lowered his head and Sanji was engulfed with mind-numbing pleasure, and his last thought before he gave himself over to it was that Zoro was going to _pay _for being such an insufferable tease.

**Mood: Awake**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairing: Mild ZoSan**

**Word Count: 497**

He _hated _night watch. You would think that for a man who slept all day, being awake at night would hardly be a challenge, but for whatever reason, it was.

Yawning, he stuck his hands under his armpits and shivered a bit, wishing he had thought to bring a coat from the bunkroom. They were a couple of days out of Water 7, and it was supposed to be warm, but for some reason the temperature at night dropped rapidly. Reminded him of Alabasta, actually, but…

He yawned again, forcing his eyes open. Ever since he'd let that creepy kid with the seahorse steal their memories, the others had been wary about giving him night watch, but he promised that he'd never fall asleep again. He'd promised…his head drooped lower…he'd…

"Oi, Marimo."

Zoro's head came up with a jerk and he turned as Sanji clambered up. "What, love-cook?"

"Here," Sanji held out a pile of blankets and a steaming mug of cocoa, and Zoro accepted it gratefully.

"What? Did the witch send you up to make sure I was awake?" Zoro grumbled, taking a sip of the burning liquid and not looking at the blonde. He heard the snick of a lighter and the smell of smoke reached his nostrils, but Sanji didn't reply for a long while.

"I came by myself," Sanji finally admitted. "Because it was cold, and I saw that you were stupid and came up without a blanket again."

"Don't need you to mother me," Zoro mumbled.

"Yeah, no kidding. You're too ugly for anyone to _want _to act like your mother," Sanji snorted. "Well, if you're just going to be all roses and sunshine, I'm going to bed."

"Sanji."

Sanji stopped, and Zoro knew that using his name was the reason. "Yeah?"

"You have watch tonight?"

"No, idiot, I'm not taking your watch," Sanji was annoyed now, and he put one lanky leg over the wall of the crow's nest.

"I'm not asking you to! Let me finish," Zoro snapped, and Sanji paused halfway out, his visible eye narrowed in confusion. "I just…I'm tired, okay? I want you to stay so I can stay awake."

Sanji paused, and Zoro could almost see the wheels turning. Sanji was a snarky little cretin, but he rarely refused a nakama's request…even if that nakama _was _Zoro. Heaving a sigh, he pulled himself back into the crow's nest and stalked over, settling himself against the wall and wrapping a blanket around himself.

Zoro wouldn't thank him, of course, but he sat beside the skinny blonde anyway and couldn't mask a smile when Sanji leaned against him, stroking his arm gently and nuzzling his shoulder.

"You know what the worst part about losing my memory was?"

"Hmm?"

"That I could get along with the others fine, but this…this might never have happened again," Sanji whispered.

"Idiot. I'm not falling asleep again. I promise."

Sanji didn't reply as Zoro gently kissed his hair, but his smile said enough.

**Mood: Blank**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairings: Sanjixeveryone (nakama-ship)**

**Words: 497**

His face was expressionless. He sat, staring out at the ocean, chest full of unshed emotions though no tears ran down his face.

"Sanji…" Luffy was the first to approach him. A gentle hand on his shoulder, the press of a beloved straw hat landing softly on his head, a quick hug from behind, and he was gone. Sometimes he knew better than anyone what to say and do.

"Sanji-kun…" Nami was crying, but she hugged him fiercely. "You'll always have us. Always," she promised, and he was too detached to realize how nice she felt in his arms.

"Oi, bro…" Franky looked awkward for a second before clapping his shoulder. "It's fine, right? Still super?" He nodded tiredly as Franky offered to bring him some cola, the lack of theatrics telling Sanji that the shipwright could sympathize.

Chopper, bawling although he didn't, _couldn't _know the man in question, clung to Sanji's leg while patted the small reindeer's hat and tried to force a reassuring smile on his face. He failed miserably, but Chopper said nothing.

"Death is always hard to take," was Brook's contribution, and when Sanji glanced at him, he offered, "Shall I play for you?" A nod, and Brook gladly took the invitation, the sad melody echoing through the ship.

"Sanji-san, I know how important he was to you, even though I'd never met him," Robin also gave him an uncharacteristic hug and used an extra hand to smooth his hair. "It will take time to heal, but you can talk to any of us. That's what nakama are for." He came close to crying but stopped as soon as a graceful hand caught the first teardrop, and she gave him a smile in return.

Usopp was quiet, saying nothing as he reached an arm around Sanji's shoulders and leaned their heads together, and that suited Sanji fine. Usopp knew what it was like, too, having that loss, and he told Sanji in a low voice about his mother, leaving Sanji with a new understanding of the sniper and, perhaps, a deeper connection, though their friendship had always been strong.

Zoro was the last to approach him, two days after he had received the letter. "Love-cook," was grunted from behind, but he didn't turn; stayed still and chewed on his unlit cigarette, wishing Zoro would just leave. It didn't happen; idiot was too dense to get a clue, but instead of, as Sanji feared, using insults to get the cook to snap out of his funk, all Zoro did was put a hand on his shoulder, solid warmth seeping through his thin t-shirt, and then the tears came.

Zoro let him cry, stood steady and comforting until the tears ran out, and Sanji rasped out his first words in two days. "All Blue. I'll find it for him."

"Yeah, you will. And we'll be right there beside you."

And when Sanji kicked him for being sentimental, they all knew he would be just fine.

**Mood: Bored**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairings: Nakamaship only, really**

**Word Count: 468**

Luffy was bored. Bored, bored, bored, _booooorreeed…_

It was another hot day sailing through a summer climate, they weren't scheduled to land for about a week, and it had been _days _since the last Marine battle.

So, he decided it was time for a little fun. He decided that he would do something to let his nakama know how much he appreciated them.

Shanks had always told him that when you loved somebody, you gave them a kiss, and while Luffy was pretty sure he was talking about guys and girls, he loved all of his nakama, so it should work in pretty much the same way, right?

He was proven wrong rather nicely by the varied reactions of his crewmates (he had only kissed them on the cheek! What was the big deal?) and with Nami's punch still stinging, was back to sitting on the deck being bored.

"Aah, I'm _bored!" _

Waiting for inspiration to strike, he decided to swipe some food, get Usopp to play with him, and, failing that, get Chopper to play with him. This resulted only in a kick, an explosion, and Chopper being so shocked by Luffy's sudden appearance that he automatically transformed and cracked his best herb-mixing bowl.

And so, Luffy was back to being _bored. _

"Captain-san?"

"Maah, what is it, Robin?" Luffy asked from his prone position on the deck.

"Cook-san was wondering if you and the others would like to come into the galley? Apparently he has something for you to do."

Something to do! Luffy hopped up excitedly and sprinted to the galley, surprised to find several pots full of colored dye and a few dozen hard-boiled eggs. So _that _was what Sanji, Usopp and Chopper had been working on! "_Sugei! _What's all this for?"

"Next week is Easter, idiot," Sanji informed him bluntly.

"Really?" To be honest, with all of the changing climates, Luffy generally lost track of holidays. "Do we get to paint _all _of them?"

"You have to share," Nami walked in, followed by a yawning Zoro, and Luffy simply laughed and nodded.

A few hours later, the galley was painted a lovely shade of rainbow, but the eggs were done, and Luffy perked up even more upon hearing that they would all have to be eaten afterward. Sanji looked ready to murder somebody, but as soon as Nami and Robin assured him that they would all help to clean up he wiggled happily and let the matter drop.

Luffy finally managed to convince the others to play with him, and soon they were all involved in 'egg duels': that is, cracking two eggs together to see which one broke. With the number of eggs, this was sure to go on for a while.

And the best part of all was, he wasn't bored anymore.

**It's pretty much a family Easter tradition in my family to have 'egg duels' so that's where the idea comes from (my family also likes to shoot those giant circular rubber bands from canning jars at each other. We're a strange lot xD**

**So this concludes the first set! Be sure to look for the next one :P**

**Reviews are very, very appreciated! **


	2. Bouncy to Crazy

**Disclaimer: See Chapter One**

**Second part of my 100 moods challenge. Once again, some of these will contain yaoi, but warnings will be before the drabble. **

**Reviews are very appreciated, and other notes are at the end!**

**100 Moods**

**Set Two: Bouncy - Crazy**

**Mood: Bouncy**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairings: None**

**Word Count: 500**

_Vi undrarar ni redo alt vara med  
Armarna upp nu ska ni fa se  
Kom igjen  
Hvem som helst kan vara med  
_

"Remind me again how long it's been?"

"About twenty hours, Nami-san," Robin replied with a smile.

"Robin, how can you be _smiling? _Ever since we left that last island and Usopp used that blasted tone dial…" she moaned and lay her head on the table. "We're going to be known as the 'dancing pirates' pretty soon!"

"I think it's a good thing," Sanji twirled out of the men's room with an empty tray of food. Usopp and Chopper had gone to sleep for a few hours after exhausting themselves dancing, but Brook and Luffy were still going strong. Franky ducked his head in every once in a while to add calls of "Yow!" and "Super!" to the beat. Sanji had taken to putting in a tray of food periodically as Luffy seemed to be able to eat and dance at the same time. "After all, that music put the Marimo right to sleep," he jerked a thumb at Zoro, who had been snoring for almost the past day.

_So ror pa era fotter  
O-a-a-a!  
Och vicka era hofter  
O-la-la-la!  
Gjör som vi  
Till denna melodi_

"It is kinda catchy, though, isn't it?" Franky came up, sipping on a cola, and Robin agreed with a nod.

"Robin, don't encourage them," Nami warned.

"They're only children, Nami-san. Well, except for Brook-san, but he acts like one most of the time," she chuckled.

"It's Luffy. He'll get bored with it in a day," Sanji assured them. "Would you ladies like something to drink? It's going to be a hot day."

"Anything would be fine, Sanji-kun," Nami sighed.

"Mellorine! Right away!" he twirled off.

_Oh-ahh-ahh-ahh!  
Dansa med oss  
Klappa era händer  
Gjör som vi gjör  
Ta nagrå steg at vanster_

"Alright, that's it," Nami stood and slammed the door to the cabin open, meeting the shocked eyes of her four crewmates (Usopp and Chopper having woken up and joined in again). "Enough!"

"But _Namiii…"_

"I said 'enough!'" she stomped to the tone dial and hit the button to stop the music. "I'm limiting you to only listening to it _five times a day _until you get tired of it."

"Nami's so mean!" Chopper's nose wiggled as he sniffed.

"What if we get attacked? The Marines aren't going to leave just because they interrupted your dance," she scolded them.

"But _Namiii…."_

"_What, _Luffy?"

"One more time?"

"I…"

"_Please?" _This from all four of them, and she sighed and put a hand to her forehead. "One more time. And if it starts again, I'm throwing that thing in the ocean."

"_Yay!"_

"Press play, Usopp, press play!"

_Lyssna och lar  
Missa inte chansen  
Nu ar vi har med  
Caramelldansen!_

Well, Nami thought, maybe _one _dance couldn't hurt. And Franky was right, after all: it was a pretty catchy song. It could be fun.

She thought differently after realizing that the dance only had one move.

**Mood: Broken**

**Rating: PG-15 ish (touchy subjects)**

**Pairings: None really, just strong nakama-ship**

**Word Count: 499**

They were all afraid to enter the room. Most of the cabins on the _Sunny _never got any use, all of them preferring to sleep together in the communal bunks as they were used to doing, but on rare occasions they were needed.

This was one of those occasions, although it was one that everyone would have rather not ever had to experience.

Eventually, and inevitably, Zoro got tired of the hemming and hawing and pushed his way in, unsurprised to see his blonde crewmate sitting on the bed, shoulders slumped and looking utterly and completely broken. He'd had the same look since Zoro's complete lack of direction had led him away from the ship at the last port and into an alley where a group of men had cornered the cook coming back from supply shopping. It had only taken one glance at Sanji's tear-streaked and terrified face to know these men now had a death sentence, and while Sanji, who hurriedly refastened his pants once the men were dispatched, had told him quietly that he had come before anything could happen, it didn't seem to matter.

"Oi, cook."

"Zoro," Sanji sounded weary, defeated, and Zoro felt an irrational flash of anger. "Go away."

"Look, idiot, just stop feeling sorry for yourself already."

"Oh yeah? And how do you suggest I do that, you moronic piece of seaweed? You weren't the one who was almost…who was…" he cursed and flopped on the bed, fist gripping the sheets tightly as a heart-wrenching sob tore from his throat. "And I couldn't…I couldn't even fight them, I…"

"You're _not weak," _Zoro said firmly, hating the blonde for letting this get to him and at the same time wondering how he himself would react. But there was no time for Sanji to be sitting around in a depressed funk, not with a hungry captain on the loose. "It could have happened to any of us, and besides that, it _didn't happen. _So get off of your pity pot and go make some dinner. Your girls want to see you."

"No they don't," he sniffed, sitting up and swiping a sleeve across his eyes. "I'm a disgrace. Can't even protect myself from a few street thugs."

"You aren't," Zoro forced himself to be calm, realizing that since yelling at the cook wasn't working, maybe he just had to be a little…_nicer_. "Sanji," he sat beside the blonde, who flinched before Zoro wrapped an arm around him and pulled him close. "I know you aren't. You're a loud-mouthed annoying idiot most of the time, but you're _not _a disgrace.

Sanji shuddered in his arms before slumping against him, and Zoro held him close. "Stay with me?"

"Yeah," Zoro lay back, pulling Sanji with him, and stayed there as the blonde slowly drifted into sleep. He'd stay with Sanji as long as he needed him to, and then one more day just to make sure he'd be fine.

And he would be.

He would be.

**Mood: Calm**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairings: Mentioned LuccixKaku, ZoroxSanji**

**Word Count: 500**

It was a nice town, he supposed. Quaint, quiet, friendly citizens, nice climate…

The fact that they were secret agents (emphasis on 'secret') was probably only to their advantage, as nobody in the little place knew who exactly they were. Blueno had air-doored them practically to the shore, and so for all the citizens knew they were merely shipwrecked; survivors of a pirate attack (and that was true, he supposed, although not in the way these people would presume).

All of this probably explained why he was now seated in a sunny hospital room holding a cup of (very good) coffee with a large white bird on his shoulder. The lack of boisterous team-mates made for a good thinking atmosphere, and he was taking advantage of it.

Nakama. A word he had never really thought of in any context before but suddenly in the past couple of weeks it had been everywhere. From Paulie…thank God he was still alive…to those pirates and that woman, Nico Robin. They had saved her because of that _one word_, and it…

He sighed and glanced at the man laying in the hospital bed. His…no, nakama was too kind a word to describe Rob Lucci. They were lovers, certainly, but unlike the swordsman and the blonde cook (and he would have to be _blind _not to notice, even with the tiny bit they interacted in his presence), he could hardly say Lucci would give his life for him because of the concept of nakama.

And besides that, what would the other man do once he woke up? He'd never lost before, and now that he had…well, it was nearly impossible to gauge his mood. Lucci was volatile at the best of times, his so-called 'good moods' bordering on what most people would term sadistic, but he'd never encountered a depressed Lucci (if such a thing were in fact possible) before.

He somehow doubted the older man would be angry, simply because he knew that he would consider his defeat at the hands of someone stronger honourable (in his way) but the biggest question was, of course, what was to become of CP9?

Did the government know they had survived the Buster Call? For that matter, had _Spandam _survived the Buster Call? (He didn't care, truthfully, and Kalifa at least hoped he hadn't). If he had, they were in danger of being wanted criminals. Spandam would blame it all on them, no doubt.

If he hadn't…would they go back to the government? Or did Lucci have other plans? Because while Rob Lucci wasn't their boss technically, they all looked to him, and if…

Kaku paused, sure the hand in his grasp had given his fingers a slight squeeze, and he glanced up to meet a pair of dark, almost-amused eyes.

"You're thinking too hard again," Lucci informed him, voice raspy from misuse, but he had the calmest smile Kaku had ever seen on his face.

And that one look told him that everything would be alright.

**Mood: Cheerful **

**Rating: PG-ish**

**Pairing: Not really…**

**Word Count: 500**

It wasn't particularly hard to tell when he was in a bad mood, which was probably why he was being given unusual privacy. He was seated comfortably in the windowsill, one booted foot hanging off the ledge and a glass of blood-red wine in his hand.

The sun was setting. Only a scant number of hours, and then the greatest war the world had seen in centuries would come to a head. The golden light bathed the ocean and reflected off the whitecaps, flashes of brilliant white that were mirrored in his slightly darker eyes.

The war was worrisome, he thought with a sigh, closing those strange raptor-like eyes for a moment before his thoughts turned inward. All of the warlords had been called to Headquarters, probably on the assurance that since the government was protecting them they would automatically be loyal.

It was a false hope, and a foolish one, considering the current batch of _Shichibukai. _The government seemed to be forgetting a crucial element, and that was that this was a war of the pirates against the Marines.

Most of the warlords were pirates.

Ex-pirates, perhaps, but that blood ran through them.

He himself was a special case, naturally, but that was only because it got hard doing what he did without some form of guaranteed protection. He had accepted the coveted position because of that protection; because as the greatest, he couldn't afford to be taken out by a fluke.

And currently, there was only one man that he even considered near his level.

A man who travelled with the would-be pirate king.

A would-be pirate king who proudly wore the straw hat of his oldest rival and friend.

And _this _was where the problem came in. He'd managed to run into the red-haired man on his way to Headquarters, and the change was shocking. Shanks was angry, dark energy pouring off of him in waves, and while it seemed to have something to do with Blackbeard, for once the normally jovial man wasn't talking.

They'd had a drink together, of course, but instead of Shanks being giddy and sloppy and carefree, he was focussed, controlled, and a weaker man than Dracule Mihawk would have been knocked out by the sheer intensity of the emotions pouring out of the pirate emperor.

They'd parted without speaking of the war; they hadn't needed to, but he had to decide between the two: the government, whom he really owed nothing to, or the pirates, who meant essentially the same.

But in the end, at least, it came down to ambition: who wanted it more. He believed in Monkey D. Luffy and his crew; believed that unless they were killed, they would never stop fighting for their dreams.

Shanks had chosen the boy for a reason.

Finishing his wine, Mihawk watched the sun disappear and wondered if he and his longtime rival would ever be able to have a friendly drink again.

And now…

Now, he had a choice to make.

**Mood: Chipper**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairings: None, really**

**Word Count: 500**

"Good morning!"

"Ugh," was Paulie's eloquent response as he chugged another cup of coffee.

"Is he always like this in the morning?" Lulu, fruitlessly trying to get his cowlick under control, asked aloud.

"MAYBE HE JUST GOES TO BED EARLY EVERY NIGHT."

"Hardly," Iceburg yawned, seating himself beside the other foremen on the stairs. "He's with us at Blueno's bar most nights until late, after all."

"Iceburg-san," Kalifa tapped his shoulder. "You have a meeting scheduled in fifteen minutes…"

"Cancel it."

"As you wish," she scribbled something out and turned as Lucci stalked up, radiating a distinct aura of 'nobody talk to me.' An aura which, predictably, she ignored completely. "Ah, you've finally arrived."

"Lucci!" Paulie waved. "We're just discussing why Kaku there's so chipper in the mornings."

"Don't ask me. Broo-hoo," was Hattori's response, and Lucci snagged a cup of coffee and plopped down beside the others.

"But you're his roommate, aren't you?" Lulu pressed. "If anyone should know…"

"I told you not to ask me," Hattori replied, a tad tersely, and the warning in Lucci's eyes mirrored the tone.

"Has anyone thought to just ask _him_ if you're all so curious?" Kalifa rolled her eyes. "I'm sure he wouldn't be offended."

"Ask me what?" Kaku, all smiles, came over, carrying a beam of wood that normally would have taken about three men to handle properly.

"Why you're so irritatingly chipper in the mornings," Paulie grunted, lighting a cigar and sticking it in his mouth.

"Why not? The sun is shining, the air is warm," Kaku grinned. "And besides, these ships aren't going to build themselves, are they?" he set the board down and set his hands on his hips, strangely reminiscent of a mother talking down to misbehaving children.

"Nmaa, the boy's right," Iceburg stood. "Perhaps if you all shared his attitude, we'd get a lot more done around here. Kalifa, I've changed my mind. I think I _will _head for that meeting."

"As you wish, Iceburg-san," she turned and gave Kaku a wink before sauntering out after the mayor.

Kaku waved after them before turning and noticing the scowls on the faces of the other foremen. "What?"

"Don't 'what' us, square-nose," Paulie retorted. "Now Iceburg's gonna expect us here early every day!"

"I don't function well before ten," Lulu groaned, getting to his feet.

"WELL, MAYBE IF WE START EARLIER WE CAN GO HOME EARLIER!" Tilestone commented, earning unenthusiastic grunts from the other two as they headed further into the shipyard.

Kaku blinked after them, looking a tad confused, until he felt a presence looming behind him and a voice whispered, "Remember, boy, we're here to blend in, not stand out. Wouldn't do to make our esteemed co-workers angry with us, would it?"

"Says the hypocrite," Kaku replied smartly, and he could _feel _Lucci's smirk before the other man walked off, pigeon once again talking for him.

And Kaku would never admit it, but the _real _reason he was a morning person was simply because Lucci wasn't.

**Mood: Cold**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairing: Very mild AcexSanji**

**Word Count: 487**

He wasn't quite sure what woke him up. Sounded like clicking, almost, but they were the only ones within _miles _(well, except for some freaky desert creatures), so what could possibly be making that noise? It wasn't the fire, certainly.

Deciding to avoid any possible danger, he opened his eyes and glanced around. His brother was holed up for warmth in one of the tents with the swordsman, the sniper, and the reindeer, and the two girls had the other.

Meaning…he stood, shaking sand out of his robe and glancing at the fire, unsurprised to see the blonde cook sitting there, huddled in his robe and shaking like there was no tomorrow.

Ace sighed, exhaling a small puff of flame, before walking over, the crunch of his heavy boots on the sand alerting the other man of his arrival.

"H-h-hey, Ace," Sanji muttered, teeth chattering (so _that _was the mystery noise…)

"Maa, Sanji-kun, it's a night nice, isn't it?" Ace grinned at the blonde as Sanji glanced at him in disbelief.

"I g-g-guess…"

"But then, temperature doesn't really affect me, does it?" Ace pulled a small ball of flame into his palm and tossed it carelessly from hand to hand. Sanji was looking at it longingly, and Ace smirked. He would have been blind not to have noticed how attractive the cook was, and judging by Sanji's reaction when he'd offered to 'help' him in the galley that day, the other man had been having similar thoughts.

"Lucky," Sanji managed to mutter, withdrawing a cigarette that Ace promptly lit for him.

"Here, take that oversized bathrobe off," Ace sat down as Sanji gave him a questioning glance before complying, revealing himself to be dressed in a smart blue dress shirt, black tie and black pants. Man, he was a skinny little kid, Ace thought with a grin. He could fight, though, that much was certain.

"Now what? Gonna let me freeze?"

"Maybe," Ace snagged the light blue robe with a cocky grin.

"Never pegged you for a sadist," Sanji was grinning now as well, and Ace shook his head and dropped down behind the other man, scooting forward so Sanji was leaning back against his chest as he wrapped his arms around the blonde's lithe body. "Mmm, yeah, this could work."

"Tell me if it gets too hot."

"I work in a kitchen, Ace. I'm relatively used to the heat. Besides, when those other idiots run around half-naked I still prefer to wear a full suit," Sanji replied.

"Am I included in 'those other idiots,' then?" Ace asked, sounding slightly offended.

"Nah, you're hardly an idiot," Sanji snuggled back closer. "I could sleep."

"Go ahead. I'll watch the fire."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks. Goodnight, then, Ace."

"Sleep well, Sanji-kun," Ace quipped, earning another quick smile as Sanji dropped off to sleep, content in the knowledge that as long as Ace was around he'd never be cold again.

**Mood: Confused**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairing: Zoroxhis sense of direction…:P**

**Word Count: 468**

"You're sure you're not screwing with me?" Zoro had his hand fisted in the pirate's shirt as the poor man sputtered and babbled that he had, in fact, given out correct directions, and while Zoro wasn't believing it for a minute, he supposed that there was (maybe) a chance he had misheard.

Because he wasn't lost.

No way.

There was only so long you could believe that North was 'up,' after all (even if North _was _up on a map, and wasn't a map a drawing of the earth? So technically shouldn't North always be 'up'?).

"Fine," Zoro let the poor man go and he scrambled away. Just his luck he was stuck in the forest and had run into a scavenging party from another ship, but one look at him and they'd lost all of the fight left in them, so Zoro had asked directions back to the beach.

And he'd followed them. Unless of course the man had in fact said to turn 'right' at the _third _evergreen and not the _second _and…

Well. Third evergreen it was this time.

000

After his fourth return trip to the campsite clearing, he decided that if he saw that pirate again he was seriously going to injure him for leading him on a bogus chase. He'd tried the third evergreen. And the fourth. And the fifth. And he was _still back at the…_

He blinked as a hand popped out of the ground by his feet, slender fingers beckoning him on, and he decided that it wouldn't hurt to follow Robin's lead. At least she would lead him in the right direction.

Robin, in fact, _did _send him right at the third tree, but for whatever reason he didn't end up back in the clearing, and instead, after a mere ten minutes (had it really taken him the better part of an hour to find the clearing the first time?) saw the beach and the _Sunny _anchored offshore.

He trudged toward the remains of their campfire, where Nami was issuing some kind of order. "And…Zoro! We just sent Robin out to look for you!"

Robin herself was emerging from the trees a few yards away, and she gave Zoro an unreadable glance before saying calmly, "It appears Zoro-san has found his own way back."

"Well, well. Miracles _do _happen," Sanji muttered around his cigarette.

"You want a fight, aho-cook?"

"Perhaps Zoro-san's sense of direction is improving," Robin said kindly, and Sanji began to simper over her intelligence and beauty. Zoro gave her a hurried nod of thanks and Robin returned the gesture with an enigmatic smile as she used a spare hand to fend off the cook.

And besides, it wasn't as if Zoro had _needed _the help.

Stupid pirate had just given him faulty directions, that's all.

**Mood: Content**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairings: None, really. ZoSan if you want it.**

**Word Count: 500**

It's a nice night; a clear night. The stars are twinkling brightly in the dark sky, only shadowed once in a while by the smoke from the blazing bonfire on the shore.

He can't remember spending this much time on land ever before (well, there was that one incident on the rock, but he tends to block that out of his calculations when he can) but since he's joined up with Straw-Hat Luffy and his bunch, it seems every week they're stopping somewhere to grab supplies. The stillness of land feels more alien to him than the rocking of the waves; he feels seasick on the shore, as strange as that sounds, and at times it feels like the ground is moving and the ship is still.

And the company…it's alright, he supposes. Luffy and Usopp seem to have bonded, but of course they're still just boys and the same age, and boys make friends oh-so-easily. Nami, too, since the incident at Cocoyashi, and she seems to have what he feels could easily develop into a crush on their captain. Currently the three of them are sprawled out by the campfire in a jumble, and while he knows Nami will screech about it tomorrow, right now she's smiling.

He shakes his head and lights a cigarette, trying to frame the full moon in smoke rings when he hears the crunch of sand under heavy-soled boots and Zoro is beside him, offering the sake bottle.

Zoro is still an anomaly to him. He's fiercely determined and fiercely loyal, sure, and when they were fighting those fishmen he'd proven himself to be a valuable team player…they seemed to think along the same wavelengths…at least within a battle.

Outside, it seemed all they could do was snipe at each other, and yet…

He was a reserved man when it came to dealing with crises, but when he'd seen that hawk-eyed swordsman slash Zoro's chest open…it triggered something within him, some deep primal _thing _that had been hidden since the god-forsaken rock, and he'd acted on impulse just _screamed _at the swordsman.

He still didn't know if he was right. Was life more important than realizing your dreams? If somebody told him to give up All Blue and live…

"You're thinking too hard," Zoro nudges his arm, strangely congenial in the darkness, and without really thinking about it he leans his head on the swordsman's broad shoulder, sake sloshing inside the bottle in his hand. "It's a rare night, you know: we're not being chased by anybody and we're not in a snowstorm."

A smile touches his lips and he nods, yawning, before placing the bottle on the ground.

"Oi, Cook?"

"Hmm?"

"If your dream's not worth dying for, then maybe it's not worth living for either."

And there's that whole mind-reading thing once more. But he doesn't mind. Zoro is comfortable, and he can think about life and dreams tomorrow.

And from the quiet snores beside him, he can tell that Zoro agrees.

**Mood: Cranky**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairing: (I told you all this was letting me try new things, didn't I?) LawxKidd **

**Word Count: 499**

"He still out there?"

"What do you think?"

"I take it that's a 'yes,' then."

"Why don't you use that little trick of yours and see if you can drag him over by his sword?" was the hissed reply.

"Well, somebody's in a fine mood."

"May I remind you, Mr. Kidd, that my crew was not the _only _one captured today," Trafalgar Law peered out from behind the tree, swatting at stray bubbles as they drifted closer.

"Well, you're not going to rescue them by just sitting there, are you?" Eustass Kidd rolled his eyes rather dramatically, wondering _why _he was stuck on this archipelago with perhaps the most annoying man sailing the seas. Sure, that Monkey D. Luffy was rather childish and naïve, but that was forgivable: he was young.

_Law, _however, did it merely to get a rise out of him, and while normally this would only have resulted in the other man's death, that strange Paramecia power of his made him someone to be wary of…especially since Kidd didn't know whether or not somebody's body could be put back together once Law separated it.

"Maybe if we both run out there one of us can get away…"

"What are you prattling on about now?" Kidd poked the other man none-too-gently in the back.

"Do you mind? I'm trying to plan an escape route…"

"Why don't we discuss it, then?" Honestly, it was like speaking to a child.

"In case you haven't realized it, Mr. Kidd, I don't really like you."

"In case _you _haven't realized it, Mr. Law, I don't really like _you," _Kidd replied flippantly, earning a growl from the shorter man. "But since we're currently stuck in this predicament, maybe it would be best for us _both _to put aside our differences and work together."

"You'd work with me?"

"If I must," Kidd sounded resigned as he pursed his dark lips.

"Really, then?" Law had a strange gleam in his shadowed eyes as he pressed himself closer. "Alright. Let's work together."

"Your mood's improved, hasn't it?"

"And yours has soured, oh scourge of the seas," Law chuckled.

"Yes, well, apparently being in close proximity with you does that to me."

"You know," Law scooted even closer, "We could minimize our chances of being captured if we were…_occupied."_

Kidd didn't miss the innuendo, and snorted. "What makes you think I…"

"Please, Mr. Kidd, you'd scare all women off. It doesn't take a genius to figure our your…persuasions, as it were," Law looked smug.

"And you?"

"I take what I can get," Law shrugged. "So? How about it?"

"How about you shut up and stop being such a cocky little…"

Unfortunately, Law seemed to take 'shutting up' to mean shutting _both _of them up, and as Kidd ended up with a mass of limber, smoky-eyed pirate on his lap he began to wonder if maybe Law actually had a good idea.

For once.

But even if it was, he'd never admit it to the other captain.

**Mood: Crazy**

**Rating: PG-15 (ish) **

**Pairing: ZoSan**

**Word Count: 482**

He was going to chalk it up to temporary insanity.

He must have drank something funny at the last bar, in order to have come back to the ship and…and…

Zoro shook his head…or at least, as much as he could without giving himself a blinding headache (what did he _drink _last night? It usually took more than Nami would ever give him to get him drunk) and cast a careful eye on the sleeping man currently using his shoulder as a pillow.

And…wait, they weren't on the ship at all. This was a hotel room! And…

Sanji sighed and nuzzled against Zoro's neck. "Morning," he slurred, mind obviously still sleep-fogged.

Zoro replied with a few choice phrases that lacked any real rancour, and Sanji glanced up at him, blue eyes bright in the rising sun. "You don't remember."

"I sure as heck don't!"

"Pity," Sanji sighed. "You're a good lay."

"Wait, we had _sex?" _

"No, that's why I'm naked and you're naked…"

"We're _naked?"_

"Shh, calm down," Sanji levered himself up, and all Zoro could see was blonde hair and pale skin and…oh, man, he really _was _naked. And a natural blonde, it seemed, and…no, he wasn't looking _there_. And then Sanji was _kissing _him, and he should really have punched the other man across the room, but for some reason he was kissing _back…_

Flashes of the night before came to him in a jumbled heap, reminders of skin and sweat and whispered endearments that he _knew _hadn't come from either the cook or himself. Those words weren't in their vocabularies.

He was going crazy; that was the answer. He was…

"We still okay?"

And Sanji was looking at him with those darn blue eyes again, and Zoro found himself caressing the smooth skin along the other man's back without even thinking about it. Sanji apparently took this as an affirmative and sighed, giving him another quick kiss before reaching over to the night-table and drawing out a cigarette. He lit it and smoked, arranging them so that Zoro was leaning back against the headboard and he was sprawled back against his chest, legs everywhere and Zoro's arm somehow around his waist.

"I really don't remember."

"Well, if you hated it, you'd have tried to kill me by now," Sanji chuckled. "You haven't, so I can only assume that some part of you wanted this. Wanted us," he clarified, as if it needed clarification.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

And Zoro really didn't feel like arguing, because he was most assuredly going crazy, if the normally snarky cook was complacent and comfortable in his arms, smoking happily as he twined his fingers with Zoro's.

"Oi, cook?"

"Yeah?"

"Next time we do this, I'm going to be sober. I want to remember it."

"Hnn…fine by me, Marimo."

And Zoro realized belatedly that he'd just instigated a 'next time.'

But he'd worry about that later.

**Notes on the drabbles: **

**Bouncy: **_**Caramelldansen **_**is by the group Caramell, and if you haven't heard it (or seen the accompanying dance) I'll link it here: (the vid is an OP one to keep with the theme, of course:)): www(.)youtube(.)com/watch?v=aIoyY30pLeQ&feature=channel_page **

**Cold: I totally just wrote AceSan **_**without **_**connotations of ZoSan anywhere. Go me ;P**

**Cranky: Okay, I never saw myself writing these two (never written them before and never really saw the fuss) but I watched the anime and now I **_**get **_**it, thanks to the wonder that is episode 394 and Law's wonderful *come hither* look (this part starts about 5 minutes in). Because it's such a flirty little head thing, and when you compare it to the fact that he **_**should **_**canonically be flipping Kidd off…my slash brain got working, I fear…Anyway, it can be found here:www(.)youtube(.)com/watch?v=6oOtu8jAvv0**

**Once again, don't hesitate to drop a review on the way out! **


	3. Creative to Drained

**Disclaimer: See Chapter One**

**Third part of my 100 moods challenge. Same rules as always.**

**Reviews are always appreciated! **

**100 Moods**

**Set Three: Creative-Drained**

**Mood: Creative**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairings: None**

**Word Count: 453**

He knew how to draw all of them: Luffy and Chopper were always moving, so inevitably they were sketches, quick strokes to capture the mood or position that he meant to fill in later but never really got around to. It seemed a shame to lose that carefree spirit that always filled their activities; like finalizing a drawing would somehow diminish the meaning.

Zoro was the easiest, naturally. The amount of time he spent sleeping was a bonus, and even the sketches of him were filled with broad strokes; heavy ones, implying a strength that read through even on paper.

The girls and Sanji were almost the same, he reflected, and while that didn't mean Sanji was a girl (the cook would kill him for insinuating that), the technique was the same: sweeping, graceful lines that easily showed elegance, sometimes sketched and sometimes drawn properly; he and Robin were quite alike in that aspect. Nami was a tad blunter: still feminine, still elegant (albeit in a rougher way), but there was something…some quality about her that made her pictures almost closer to Zoro's in a way.

It was troubling that he couldn't explain it, but maybe the difference lay in that Robin was already a woman, whereas Nami, tomboyish and independent, still had to find that part of her.

Regardless, he'd never shown any of them his pictures, and now…now he was attempting to do something he'd never done before.

He knew it was a bad idea.

A group shot, he figured, would be the perfect thing. They could hang it in the galley and…

"Luffy! Chopper! Get back here!" Nami shrieked, stomping (yes, _stomping) _to drag them back by ears and antlers, and she stood sullenly, arms crossed. It only took a scant number of seconds for them to take off once more.

Zoro yawned, got sniped at by Sanji, and then the two of _them _were off (luckily it was just words this time, or else Merry would be needing repairs again), which led to Nami turning to add her voice to the cacophony, and he sighed and put his brushes down. It was a lost cause all around.

"Long-nose-kun?"

"Yes, Robin?"

"Perhaps if this isn't working, we can have seven pictures in the galley instead of one?" she asked with a graceful smile and graceful hands tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"I think it's going to have to be that way, Robin," he finally admitted, packing up his utensils.

"Ooh, Usopp's done already? That's so fast! I wanna see, Usopp!"

And now he had to fend off Luffy (and, inevitably, Chopper) as he attempted to make his way to the men's cabin without dropping anything.

He was never going to attempt a group drawing again.

Ever.

**Mood: Crushed**

**Rating: PG-15 (for implications)**

**Pairing: Merryshipping**

**Word Count: 487**

Zoro watched them with an unreadable look on his face. His crewmates. His nakama. His…well, he supposed 'lovers' wasn't really the proper term for what they did. Sure, there was plenty of love involved, but Luffy really didn't know the significance of what they were doing and Usopp _had _his true love and Nami and the cook? Something to do; teenage hormones acting up; whatever the reason…

Zoro just didn't fit. It hurt him somewhat, although he'd never admit to something as petty as that. But some part of him always felt a little betrayed, that when they were finished, the four of them curled up in a pile and left him to go on watch.

Tonight, he didn't. He wanted, just for a second, to feel what they all felt for each other. It didn't have to be love; he didn't believe in love as it was so often portrayed, but…

Family. Belonging. He just wanted to feel like…like he wasn't extraneous. Like he _meant _something to them, all of them useful, needed: to cook, to navigate, to repair, to lead. And he was just the other one that could fight. He slept all the time. Heck, his only real duty was to lift and lower the anchor.

And there they were, clothes flung all over the galley and the four of them in a tangle of limbs and hair in the middle of the floor. And here _he _was, shirtless but with his pants back on, and he _could _join them, but it would still feel wrong…

Closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the wall, he sighed and attempted to go to sleep.

Barely seconds later, however, he heard the shuffle of bare feet on the wood floor and felt _something _drape across his lap, lips lazily connecting with his as he opened his eyes with a start.

"You looked lonely," Sanji informed him rather bluntly. Rather calmly, as well, seeing as how the man was completely naked. "Come and join us?"

"Nah," Zoro looked away from the dishevelled blonde. "I don't belong in there."

"Hmm," Sanji paused before curling up close to him and mouthing a quick kiss to his neck. "Do you mind if I stay with you, then?"

Zoro didn't answer, but Sanji took it as an affirmative and got up long enough to pull a blanket over them and coax Zoro to lay down. And Zoro, laying there with Sanji snuggled up to him, felt something stir inside of him.

"Nakama, remember?" Sanji asked sleepily, and even though Zoro knew that perhaps he'd never fit in the same way the others did, he was still cared about. He was still _wanted_.

And the next time when the others fell asleep in a pile and, after a few seconds, Sanji extricated himself and went to Zoro's side, he thought that maybe he could get used to this after all.

**Mood: Curious**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairings: None, really**

**Word Count: 467**

Chopper had promised the effects would wear off soon. Of course, that didn't stop him from cursing the strange fruit they had all eaten, but the strangest part wasn't the ears or the tail: it was the _urges_.

And right now, the cat's infamous curiosity was making a rather lovely and inopportune appearance. Because while he wasn't a cat, exactly, (unlike Nami, who somehow managed to make ears and a tail suit her), he was still from the same family. And while he was pretty sure there weren't any tigers out there with green fur, the stripes didn't leave much to the imagination.

However, what was more distracting at the moment was the darn cook's tail. What right did it have to be so shiny and bushy? So soft-looking? And why did he think that the infuriating man _smelled _good all of a sudden?

"Oi, idiot, what's the big idea?" Sanji turned, wondering why Zoro now had a mouthful of his tail. _His tail. _"Dinner's only an hour."

"It's distracting me," Zoro replied, although it was slightly muffled. "It's just swishing around."

"Go bug Luffy or something. He's got a tail, too," Sanji rolled his eyes and continued chopping vegetables. It was a little annoying considering that his claws got in the way, but at least _most _of his body had stayed the same.

Like his legs.

Which he was going to use to kick the infuriating Marimo in the _head _if he didn't let go of his _tail _in the next ten seconds.

"You smell good."

"I _what?" _

"You smell good, cook," Zoro looked rather bemused, and _still had a mouthful of hair_. "Dunno why I never noticed it before…"

"Well, keep in mind that I _am _the only man on this ship that takes regular showers. And no, I'm _not _counting the times you've jumped in the ocean to save Luffy 'showers,' idiot. Salt is horrible for your skin, and brine doesn't make you smell any better," Sanji muttered, mostly under his breath, but Zoro's new-found hearing picked it up.

"Kinda fruity, though…"

"Well, after all, I don't have money to buy shower gel, and as long as it's just a little bit…wait, _why _am I telling you this? Get off of my tail!" Sanji blinked rapidly and changed the subject, ears flattening down onto his head as he turned.

"But I…"

Robin glanced up as a man-tiger hybrid flew out through the galley door, and she chuckled before raising a feathered hand to her mouth as Zoro glared at her. "Well, you must remember, Swordsman-san, what they say about curiosity and cats…" she raised a wing in a wave and went back to reading as Zoro growled, tail swishing rather forlornly behind him as he went to take a nap in the mikan grove.

**Mood: Cynical**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairing: None mentioned; imply what you will…**

**Word Count: 480**

"I have come to a conclusion."

Commodore Smoker sighed and glanced at the man currently occupying his room…not that the man was an _invited _guest, per say, but since he seemed to show up nearly everywhere that Smoker did, he took it for granted that the brat would try to sneak in with him.

"And what, pray-tell, is this 'conclusion?'" he humoured the young man…at least for the moment.

"You…" the other started, with the air of somebody about to divulge one of the secrets of the universe, "…are a cynic."

"I'm a what now?"

"A _cynic!" _

"A cynic."

"Yes. As in, you believe that, for the most part, people are scum."

"Portgas, let me assure you that I do _not _think 'people' are scum. Pirates are a different story…and not really 'people,' as far as I'm concerned," Smoker crossed his arms and leant against the lone desk in the room.

"I'm wounded. You have dealt me a fatal blow, and I'm tempted to crawl off into a corner and huddle there until I die…"

"Then shut up and do it already," Smoker rolled his eyes, completely cutting off the rather dramatic monologue of the man on the bed.

Ace huffed, blowing a few strands of dark hair out of his face, and rolled onto his stomach so he could prop his chin up with his hands. "You're no fun."

"I'm a cynic, remember?"

"Yes; yes. However, I'm sure there's a cure. If I can just convince you that not all humans are as worthless as you seem to claim…"

"Not remotely interested. Sorry."

"Because I can _assure _you that there are plenty of worthy people in this world and…"

"That man you're chasing," Smoker said suddenly, and Ace went quiet. Too quiet, and as the Marine turned to look at him, he was almost shocked. There was a dark, flickering halo around the pirate and his eyes were hooded…he wasn't a boy in that moment. He was a man who deserved to be the Second Division Commander of the largest pirate crew on the Grand Line.

"The man I'm chasing is a despicable human being who only cares for his own ambition. He took the life of his friend to get farther ahead. I only told you that not _all_ humans are scum, Commodore. There are some, however, that are," Ace's voice was low, and Smoker gazed at the man with a type of new-found respect. "The world is changing," Ace finally said, dropping the seriousness and giving Smoker a smile. "So? Can I buy you a drink?"

"If you promise not to do that again. Being deathly terrifying is _my _specialty."

"I can play with the best," Ace shrugged. "You coming or not?"

He strode out, and Smoker vowed to never underestimate the young man again.

Apparently there was more to this pirate than first met the eye.

**Mood: Depressed**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairing: None**

**Word Count: 500**

Sanji looked out the window and heaved a sigh. The swordsman had been out near the figurehead all day, silent and brooding and nobody had dared to approach him.

Not even for lunch.

Or dinner.

But it was nearing nightfall now, and there was only so long one could just sit there (and he hadn't even been napping).

So, after drying the last dish, Sanji put it back into the cupboard and hung up his dishrag before lighting a cigarette and pushing his way onto the deck.

"Oi, baka."

"What d'you want, ero-cook?"

"Want to know why you've been out here in a funk all day," Sanji leant on the railing beside the green-haired man. He noticed that Zoro had the white sword in his lap and he was running his fingers over the bindings almost reverently. "Who was she?"

"Hmm?"

"The girl who first owned that sword," Sanji clarified.

"How…"

"It looks like a girl's sword. Those other two," he pointed at the remaining ones strapped to Zoro's haramaki, "those look like men's swords. But this one…" he held his hand out and Zoro wordlessly passed the white sword over with a warning glare.

Sanji ignored it and inspected the shining blade. "She died, didn't she? That's why you carry this."

"Yeah," Zoro looked amazed that the cook would know such a thing, but maybe it was obvious. After all, why else would he hold the katana in such high regard?

"Why did you take it?"

"A promise," Zoro said simply, and Sanji didn't press. He could understand that. "Today…today is the anniversary of the day she died."

"Wait here," Sanji handed Wadou back and went into the kitchen, emerging a few moments later with a bottle of expensive rum. "Here."

"Aw cook, the best rum for me?"

"No, moss-head, for her. A lady only deserves the best."

"Oh," Zoro shook his head and stood, holding Wadou in one hand while he uncorked the bottle and took a swig, holding it out as Sanji rolled his eyes took his own swallow. Zoro accepted the bottle back before upending it and pouring the rum into the ocean, the dark liquid swallowed immediately by the blue of the sea. "I promised you, Kuina. And I'm going to keep that promise. I _will _be the world's greatest swordsman," he said, short and blunt like his speeches always were, but it got the point across.

"Kuina?"

"That was her name," Zoro's voice was scratchy.

"I'm sure she'd be proud of you."

"You think?"

"Well, as proud as anyone could _be _of you."

Zoro shot him a glare but Sanji merely smiled and eventually he shook his head. "I'm going to bed."

"Good night then, Marimo."

"Yeah. You too, love-cook."

Sanji turned and watched him go, wondering if Zoro had loved her.

But no, this was _Zoro_.

Regardless, the cook was moderately happy that the swordsman was out of his funk, and he lit a new cigarette and stayed to watch the sun set.

**Mood: Determined**

**Rating: PG-15**

**Pairing: ZoSan**

**Word Count: 477**

It was time.

It had to be time.

It didn't explain why his hands were shaking, though; why he couldn't even light a cigarette.

Didn't explain his rapid breathing, his sweaty palms, his racing heart.

Didn't explain the clenching in his chest when they'd all met again, drawn back together no matter how far Kuma had flung them.

They had come together seamlessly, as always, but he hadn't spoken to…

_Him,_ yet. And really, what would he say? "Oi, good to see you're alive, Marimo?"

Didn't cut it. Didn't come _close _to explaining how he truly felt.

How he realized he felt, eventually, and Thriller Bark was just a capitulation of everything.

Didn't help that those freaky Okama people had kept trying to figure out 'his type,' when he already knew it.

And now, now it was time.

But…

"Talk to him."

A gentle push to his back, a glance at haunted dark eyes, and Sanji heaved a breath. "I…"

"Life's too short to have regrets."

And he would know. Oh, how he would know. "Ace…"

"Go."

Sanji nodded and went, not bothering to mask his approach, although Zoro would have heard him no matter what, and sat down beside the swordsman.

"So you're alive."

Deep voice, and he didn't turn; didn't look, although he knew without a doubt who was now beside him.

"You too."

Scratchy, so he cleared his throat. Awkwardly, and this was all far too awkward.

"Sanji."

A name. So simple, and yet…

"Zoro."

So he replied in kind, because what else was there to do? They had never been awkward around each other, but now even insults and banter hardly seemed appropriate.

He felt a brush; a touch, and glanced down. Zoro was still staring straight at the horizon, but his fingers, calloused and rough, lay over Sanji's own.

"I missed you."

And that's how it would be. No outpouring of emotion, no confessions; just a simple truth said with simple words and a simple touch.

"Idiot."

Returned the only way it could be before Zoro _looked, _dark eyes and dark intent as he moved, slowly, just a press of lips to lips that couldn't even be called a kiss.

Pulling away, walking back into the surrounding forest, seeing a flash of a familiar yet subdued cocky grin, too broken and too breakable, but Ace was coming back. All of them were coming back.

They were healing.

And later, in his tent, emotions kept too long boxed in, but they were silent out of necessity: the slide of skin on blankets, the jingle of golden chimes, the harshness of their breath.

And if one, or both, of them said 'I love you' into the other's mouth, or mouthed it into their skin, or thought it when they were entangled, the other would never hear.

But they would know.

And that was enough.

**Mood: Devious**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairing: LuccixKaku **

**Word Count: 432**

**Notes: It's bad when I have to do research for fanfiction, isn't it? **

"You're having far too much fun on this mission, you know that?"

A low growl was his only response as he continued to trudge through the jungle, taking his cap off to fan himself whenever the humidity got to be too stifling.

"I don't quite understand why we've been relegated to searching out a pirate settlement in the middle of an island," he said next, not really expecting a response, but the air was thick with moisture and without at least one voice speaking felt rather claustrophobic.

"You _do _realize that leopards are a sub-Saharan species, don't you? They're not accustomed to rainforests. I think you're getting yourself mixed up with a jaguar."

Another growl from the large cat prowling through the treetops above him, until it stopped and he found himself glancing at a swishing tail. "You're asking for it, you know."

"Try it, boy. You're just jealous that if you transformed in here you'd get your pretty neck caught in some vines and never get out."

"And you, being the compassionate soul that you are, would let me suffer."

"Naturally. It would amuse me greatly."

"That's it."

And he _yanked _on that tail, earning an almost surprised yowl from the cat perched above him before it was snarling and pouncing off of the branch, two hundred pounds of solid muscled pinning him to the jungle floor.

Into a puddle, regrettably, and now he was sweaty _and _wet. "You've made your point. Off."

"No."

"Lucci…"

He watched as the grin on the feline face turned into a grin on a much more human one, and then there were tongues and teeth and _hips _involved and _really _that wasn't fair.

He could feel himself sinking into the mud; tried to buck his way out but that only resulted in more friction and it was obvious that, if Lucci had anything to say about it, he was staying on the bottom.

However, just when it got to the point when he refused to care that he was now muddy and debauched on the jungle floor, there was a satisfied cat sitting on his chest who bounded into the trees a second later, tail flicking almost in a mocking way as he headed off.

"Need I remind you that I have the map?" he called, futilely, as he tried to squelch his way out of the sucking mud.

Well. As soon as they got out of this irritating jungle he wanted to try a little experiment.

And then they'd see how two hundred pounds of leopard would fare against twenty-six hundred pounds of giraffe.

**Mood: Disappointed**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairing: LawxKidd**

**Word Count: 500**

"Do you think they suspect anything?"

"Do I think _who _suspects anything?"

"Your crew."

"At this point, it would be hard not to. We run into each other an awful lot more than coincidence would have it."

"Strong coincidence, perhaps?" he smiled, glancing into the mirror.

"You're a woman, you know that?"

"Eyeliner brings out my eyes," he shrugged. "And you're one to talk, Mr. I-Wear-Lip-Liner-And-Black-Nail-Polish."

"It suits me."

"Eyeliner suits _me_." he snapped the case shut and put it down before staring around the room, proceeding to create a small Room in order to pick up one of the bedside lamps and a fountain pen from the desk.

"Will you stop with that infuriating thing? One of these times you're going to catch me in it."

"And a right pity that would be, wouldn't it?" the objects continued to fly around in the small space until he set them back in their original positions.

"Look, stop all of this nonsense and just tell me if we're ending this," the man on the bed sat up, his yellow eyes narrowing. "Because I'm sick and tired of this game."

"Who says it's a game?"

"I'm leaving."

"Wait," one tattooed arm was raised almost beseechingly.

"The morning's wearing on. We have to get out of here regardless; two men worth over half a billion berries won't go unnoticed for long," he stood and started to pull on his clothes.

"So it's over?"

"You tell me, Law."

"Don't put this on me." His voice was still quiet, but his eyes spoke of a barely concealed anger. "You're a part of this as much as I am, Mr. Kidd."

"Don't tell me where you're going next, then," Kidd said with solemn finality. "If we meet again, we meet again; otherwise I guess this is goodbye."

"Goodbye, then," Law went back to playing with the lamp and the pen, and Kidd snorted before walking out of the room.

000

Sabaody, however, _was _one of those coincidences. And it didn't take long for there to be an anonymously booked hotel room and a late-night rendezvous to occur.

"How long are you staying?"

"A while, probably. There's no rush at the moment," Law was almost apprehensive in the morning light. Normally one or both of them would have up and left, but they were still lying together. "And yourself?"

"A few more days, at least."

"Mmm."

"Same time tonight, then?"

"Just…" Law sighed. "Stay here today," his voice dropped, as much as his gentle tenor would allow it, and he propped himself up to lean over the taller man. "If you're not too busy."

"I spoil you, you know that?"

"It's nice to know somebody does," Law smiled before lowering his head for a brief kiss.

"Is it?"

"Don't be coy, Mr. Kidd."

"Wouldn't dream of it. But you realize that if I stay, we can't hide this anymore. Our crews will find out."

Law stared into his eyes for a moment before replying firmly, "Let them."

**Mood: Ditzy**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairing(s): Sanji ********Zoro, OFCxZoro, SanjixUsopp (although not really)**

**Word Count: 500**

"S-Sanji?"

"_What, _Usopp?"

"Y-you're going to break your glass…"

Sanji glanced down, noticing the almost white-knuckled grip he had on the wine glass. "Thank you."

"What's wrong?" the sniper asked, before following Sanji's eyes. "Oh."

The reason for his 'oh' was the fact that Zoro, seated at the bar, had a lapful of a buxom blonde who was nibbling on his earrings and pawing at him rather inappropriately. Zoro looked unconcerned, but Sanji was livid.

"How _dare _he let that woman climb all over him and not respond?"

Ah. Denial. Usopp nodded. Just like Sanji to be concerned over the woman's well-being when it was so _painfully _obvious that he was only angry because _he _wasn't the one doing that.

"Denial," he murmured.

"What was that, long-nose?" Sanji glared at him.

"Huh? Oh, nothing," Usopp shook his head. "Nothing at all."

As the evening progressed, the girl got bolder and bolder and Sanji got angrier and angrier. "Look at that overgrown hunk of moss! He's got a beautiful woman rubbing against him and he doesn't even _notice _her!"

"Just let it go," Usopp rolled his eyes and stared forlornly at his juice. He probably could get away with ordering alcohol; he was a pirate, but still…

"Usopp, I bet if _you _had a girl like that in your lap even _you'd_ know what to do with her," Sanji sounded mournful.

"I only have one girl I'd be interested in," Usopp sighed, thinking of Kaya. He spent a few minutes daydreaming about the lovely blonde, long-nosed children they'd have before Sanji was gripping his arm again.

"_Look at them, Usopp! Look at them!" _

Usopp did, noting that Zoro only looked more bored than ever and the girl was now sliding her hand along one of his katana hilts in a rather…suggestive way. Zoro calmly removed her hand and she merely attached herself to him again.

"Usopp?"

"What, Sanji?"

"Do you think that…maybe…he doesn't know _how _to kiss? Maybe he doesn't know what to do at all?" Sanji muttered to himself.

"Denial," Usopp mumbled again, followed by, "I'm sure he's not that inexperienced, Sanji."

"But maybe he needs a demonstration! Maybe if…" Sanji glanced around the bar, and Usopp sighed in relief. Now maybe the blonde would leave him alone…

Of course, he hadn't expected hands hooking into his overalls as he was pulled rather awkwardly into a smoke-flavoured kiss, and _couldn't Sanji find another cheap bar tramp to do this with? _He shoved the other man away and coughed, chugging his juice.

"I don't think he saw us," Sanji glanced at Zoro. "Maybe we just have to be a little more…"

"_You _find somebody else to be your guinea pig!" Usopp was still scandalized, and a little amazed that Sanji didn't seem to care he'd just kissed a guy.

"You're leaving?"

"I'm tired," Usopp faked a yawn. "See you in the morning."

With one last glance at the oblivious Zoro and a last mutter of "Denial…" Usopp happily left the bar.

**Mood: Drained**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairing(s): Implied ZoroxSanji, LuffyxUsopp**

**Word Count: 499**

Thriller Bark had sapped them all. Some more than others. Luffy not at all, and Usopp would have had to have been a heck of a lot stupider to not put two and two together after that one.

Luffy. Completely healed.

Zoro. Almost dead.

And despite the fact that nobody was telling the truth, he knew one had something to do with the other.

And Sanji…

The blonde was a mess of nerves and moodiness unlike anything Usopp had ever seen, and frankly it was a little worrying. Once again, it was no real secret that he and Zoro were more than shipmates, but this was more than concern. There was this underlying and almost stifling _guilt _leaking from the cook, and Usopp hated it.

"Oi, Sanji!"

Currently the blonde was seated on one of the broken chunks of rock littered around, smoking and staring forlornly at the horizon. "What?"

"Everyone's wondering where you are. The party's still going strong," Usopp said, quieter than normal but something about Sanji's posture sapped his enthusiasm. When Sanji didn't reply, Usopp went to sit beside him, and to his surprise the blonde leaned against him, looking completely weary. He slid his arm around the cook's shoulders and held him, wondering if he was going to get any answers this time around. When it seemed like none were coming, he decided to take matters into his own hands. "I know how you feel."

"How could you _possibly…"_

"Luffy," Usopp said quietly, and Sanji immediately snapped his mouth shut. "He…he's made of rubber, right? But…but when he uses those Gears…it scares me. How long will it be until he reaches his own limits? A normal man would die after taking it once…" Sanji flinched at the words, and Usopp had a feeling that maybe this had something to do with why Zoro was so injured and Luffy was fine, but he kept going. "Luffy's not normal, but he's only human. It's like…it's like I'm watching him die, you know? I'm watching him die and I can't do a thing about it…just wonder when his body will give out. How many years has it taken off of his life? How…" Usopp stopped and bit his lip, aware that Sanji's shoulders were shaking and short, clipped-off sobs were coming from his mouth. "Sanji? Oi…"

"I'm fine, Usopp," the cook assured him, but shakily; his normal confidence and suaveness was gone, and he sounded like a scared child. "How long?" he finally asked. "How long until one of us loses that battle?"

"We…we can't know," Usopp swallowed. "But it won't happen. As long as we're together, it won't happen."

"How can you know that?"

"Because we have dreams. And until we reach them, none of us are going anywhere."

"Hmm," Sanji made no move to stand, so Usopp stayed.

And as much as his rational side told him that hoping that way was only wishful thinking, in his heart he prayed beyond anything that he was right.

**I have no idea why there's so much Usopp-introspection, but generally I write whatever first comes to mind with these prompts! **

**I also have no idea why there's so much ZoSan, but I make the excuse that it's my OTP. **

**Once again, I love reviews, so don't hesitate to leave one :)**


	4. Ecstatic to Flirty

**Wanted to post this before I left on holidays, because I've finally got this batch written! I have no idea when the next will be out, though…**

**Disclaimer: See Chapter One**

**100 Moods**

**Set Four: Ecstatic to Flirty**

**Mood: Ecstatic**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairing: ZoSan**

**Word Count: 467**

**Notes: The sort-of promised omake to my fic "21 Guns," although it's not necessary to read that first! Also spoilers for Chapter 544.**

Promises made to yourself were evidently hard to keep. He knew that, way back on Kambakka Island, he had sworn that the first thing he would do upon seeing Zoro was to jump on him and kiss him senseless, but now that the crew was back together (and after the shedding of many happy tears and relieved tears and Franky's adamant shouts of "I'm not crying, you jerks!" and Chopper's shouts of "I'm not happy, you jerks!" and Brook's shouts of "I'm so happy I could cry! But I can't actually shed any tears! Skull Jo~oke!") he was strangely reluctant.

Zoro looked none the worse for wear, and apparently the pink-haired ghost-girl had helped him out, but still…

But still.

A promise was a promise, and he swore that he would, and now that he was finally (_finally) _out of that horrible sack-y dress and back into his own clothes, his perspective had evidently shifted.

Maybe he should just talk to Zoro…

But no. Zoro wasn't much of a talker.

So then…

He groaned and rubbed his temples, glancing up to notice that Zoro was looking at him, and his expression was completely unreadable. He didn't look happy or relieved, certainly, but it wasn't really scorn and it wasn't really…

Oh, screw it.

He almost expected Zoro to let him fly by completely when he jumped, but the green-haired man caught him in mid-air and the kiss that resulted was hardly the most romantic thing it could have been.

His forward momentum was still a little strong, for one thing, and he almost knocked the swordsman over, but all things considered it could have been worse.

At least Zoro was kissing back.

Scratch that, this wasn't kissing anymore.

He had enough awareness left to register the rest of the crew had gone eerily silent, at least until Robin's knowing chuckle and Nami's exasperated murmur of, "Finally!"

Luffy and Brook's jaws were evidently on the ground; Franky was crying about 'beautiful manly love' (and using Chopper as a handkerchief, apparently, which the little fuzzball was _not _amused about); and Sanji caught Usopp's eye and the sniper gave him a sigh and a wink.

"Oi, cook, I'm over here," Zoro's low voice rumbled in his ear, and he turned with a scowl as the younger man rolled his eyes.

"But the view's so much better that way," Sanji inclined his head toward Nami and Robin, but there was only a smile in his voice, and Zoro picked up on it and smiled at him in return before leaning in for another kiss. A quick glance showed Nami, Robin and Usopp herding the others away, and he smirked before diving farther into the kiss as Zoro held him steady.

Maybe sometimes acting on instinct _was _a good thing, after all.

**Mood: Embarrassed**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairing:…it's a surprise. Not really, but I won't say ;P**

**Word Count: 490**

**Warnings: Modern AU. And strangely Hamlet-influenced. **

"There's a special providence in the fall of a sparrow."

I don't know why I spoke the words aloud, and yet for some reason they have always meant something to me. Something intangible, perhaps not what they truly mean, but maybe it has to do with the fact that I see _myself _as that sparrow.

A sparrow trapped by a cat, unfortunately, and for five long years it has been thus. One of the perils of working as an undercover operative: missions have no time frame, and while we both understood this one would be particularly difficult, neither of us could have predicted the length of it.

I swore to him I would remain faithful.

It's been a long five years.

We come from different backgrounds; different countries even. I've lived in the States long enough for my originally prominent English accent to be all but diminished, and while his family hails from Italy, he's never had an accent to speak of.

I still continue to speak of him in terms of the present, because I can't bring myself to believe, even after all of these years, that he has been killed. I feel a tad like a virginal young maiden, waiting for her lover-to-be to return from some far-off war in some far-off country.

We've all read the stories: the ones that stand on the rocky cliff each day, staring at the ocean and praying.

Not that I do that; of course not, but the comparison seems valid in my eyes.

My colleagues tell me I'm crazy for waiting: not only because it's been so long, but because my lover is hardly the type of man who would return the sentiments had our positions been reversed.

His name means 'light' in his native language, but there has always been this interminable darkness around him. Just another of life's great ironies, I suppose, although when he's with me, and only with me, a different side of him starts to emerge.

He always halts it before it can grow too much, but I know it's there, and the thought is comforting.

I need all the comforting thoughts I can scrounge up to keep my hope alive, and I place my copy of _Hamlet _back on the bookshelf as the door behind me creaks open, and I turn, not really expecting any visitors.

I didn't expect to see _him, _of all people, and before I can even speak I'm crying, and oh, Heavens above, it's embarrassing. He _hates _emotional displays, I know, but I could care less at the moment.

I look at him through the tears, and he looks unchanged: a little older, a tad more weather-worn, but still the same man I fell in love with, and for maybe the first time, I'm not afraid to call it that.

And later that night I discover that, most assuredly for the first time, he's not afraid to call it that either.

**Mood: Enamored**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairing: ZoSan**

**Word Count: 475**

"Ah, my dear, you know I have sailed all over the Grand Line…"

"Really?" The young woman's eyes were wide as she stared at the blonde.

"Indeed; I've braved many dangers and seduced the loveliest women, but I daresay that I have _never _seen any creature as gorgeous as you. Are you, perhaps, free for the night?" his voice dripped honey, and the girl swooned and nodded.

Zoro watched with a grunt as they left the bar together, and he gave the cook two hours before he'd interrupt them. After all, they _were _sharing a room, and if some buxom strumpet was currently moaning in pleasure it wouldn't interrupt _his _sleep.

This was mostly because he'd rather hear the _cook _moaning in pleasure, but that was beside the point.

So, two hours and a bottle of rum later (it would have been more but the darn witch wasn't putting out in the money department) he left the bar and headed to the room, entering and breathing a sigh as he realized the girl had gone.

Seeing Sanji sitting on the lone bed (and really, Nami was just being _cruel _now. One bed. Che), naked and smoking save for a sheet pulled strategically over his waist, he tried to stifle all of the many thoughts that were encouraging him to forgo all pleasantries, flip the blonde over and _take _him.

"Oi."

"Hey," Sanji glanced up lazily, hair golden in the lamplight and his skin darkened with amber highlights. "Who gets the bed this time? I'm too tired to fight you for it."

Zoro grunted and kicked off his boots, sliding his shirt and haramaki off before simply crawling on beside the cook and flinging an arm around the other man's waist as Sanji squawked in surprise.

"Oi! What's the big idea?!"

"I'm tired. I don't want to sleep on the floor. I'm sick of you screwing all these frilly chicks who don't care one way or the other. I'm going to sleep."

Sanji processed this for a moment before asking quietly, "So what? Does that mean _you _care?"

Zoro grunted and opened one eye, moving over to press a lazy kiss to Sanji's stomach as the blonde blushed. And promptly tried to hide it by kicking him, but even _he _wasn't flexible enough to kick Zoro with the other man laying basically over his legs.

"Oi. _Oi, you can't molest me and fall asleep!" _

"Not molesting you. Just don't like to see you get used like that."

"Yeah, well…"

A snore answered him, and he huffed a breath and slid down in the bed, letting Zoro stay where he was.

So.

Idiot was in love or something and too scared to admit it, was he?

Sanji smirked and let his fingers brush the triple chimes as he closed his eyes.

This was going to be fun.

**Mood: Energetic**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairing: None**

**Word Count: 496**

It wasn't that he was unused to spinning around in the middle of a fight and finding himself pressed against someone else's back (Zoro and he had a pretty solid routine, after all) but when Zoro _wasn't _there, it was a little disconcerting.

He didn't let it get in his way, though: this was his first fight in far too long, and he revelled in the burst of adrenaline that surged through him at the thought.

Still, it might be good to know who was behind him, because after all…

His eyes met a pair of vaguely familiar ones, and while the first words out of their mouths "So you're alive?" were probably not situation-appropriate, they both shrugged it off and got straight to business.

"How many d'you reckon there are?"

"Fifty, give or take. You?"

"About that. Can you handle half of them?"

"This is nothing. You?"

"Likewise."

And sure enough, mere seconds later they were pressed back-to-back again, but this time the definite lack of new enemies meant they were forced to confront each other.

Marine HQ was a big place, and while he was fairly certain the rest of his crew was there, it might take a while to find them (and those darn Marines kept popping up) so he really couldn't afford any delays. It was lucky, he reasoned, that the other man seemed to share his viewpoint.

"Would you be adverse to us working together?"

"Together?"

"Yes. The old adage: 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend.' Unless, of course, you…"

"Oi; oi. I'm a pirate, not a barbarian," he lit a cigarette and sighed.

"You're looking for your crew, I presume."

"Yeah. And you?"

"My team and I split up so as to avoid detection. But I daresay the company would be appreciated. There are a lot of enemies to take down," the other man glanced furtively around, swords steady in his hands.

"So what are you guys now? Fugitives?"

"In a way, I suppose. It's all quite a large misunderstanding, but…"

"What? The government blames you guys for Enies?"

"Precisely."

"Hnn," Sanji exhaled a puff of smoke. "And lemme guess, that sadistic boss of yours got off scot-free."

"You're very perceptive."

"Someone on my crew has to be," he quirked a smile. "Well, should we head out? It's a long way to wherever we're gonna end up, and I still feel like kicking some serious Marine tail. You still in…?" he held out his hand expectantly.

"Ah…Kaku," the agent returned the handclasp.

"Sanji," Sanji replied. "How long can you go?"

"My stamina is rather incomparable. And yourself?" Kaku gave him a quick flash of a smile.

"As long as I need to," Sanji replied truthfully, swearing silently to all of his nakama that he was on his way.

It may be an unconventional pairing, but right now the most important thing was staying alive, and if an ex-government agent was the key to that…well, he'd certainly take it.

**Mood: Enraged**

**Rating: PG-13 **

**Pairing: Not really. Nakamaship.**

**Word Count: 485**

"You think he'll come?"

"It's Luffy. Of course he'll come," Sanji almost snapped, but he caught himself. It wasn't Usopp's fault they were stuck in a dank underground cell, chained down to opposite sides.

No, it certainly wasn't Usopp's fault. It was, predictably, the Marimo's. Again. Because he'd gotten lost, and they'd gone to find him, and got captured by a rather irate group of bounty hunters in the process.

But it was impossible to even be mad at Zoro, not with the other man close to death. Those scum-sucking toads had shot him with some kind of sedative, but they'd given him a lethal dose.

For a normal man.

Zoro was far from normal, but Sanji was monitoring the other's fever closely. It wasn't good.

And it wasn't like he _cared, _or anything, but he still possessed the completely rational urge to storm through the stronghold and make sure _all _of these Neanderthals got a kick to the groin that buggered all their chances of _ever _reproducing.

He scowled and lit a cigarette, the chains around his wrists clanking as he moved.

"How is he?"

"His fever's getting worse," Sanji announced grimly, blowing some smoke out of the side of his mouth while one of his fine-boned hands smoothed back Zoro's hair. He'd refused to let go of the man when they'd surrendered (and ended up with a rather nasty punch to the gut because of it. He was sure Usopp was terrified of him, standing there with blood running from his mouth as he held Zoro in a death grip) and as such they'd chained them together. "It's not good, Usopp."

"But he'll make it, right? He's Zoro!"

As if that explained everything, and Sanji sighed and let his fingers rest against Zoro's heated neck, feeling the fluttering pulse beneath his fingertips. Not any weaker than the last time he'd checked, at least. "Usopp, I…"

"Cook?"

It was weak, but definitely there, and Sanji felt a smile tug at the corners of his lips. "Baka Marimo."

"I don't feel so hot."

"No kidding," Sanji continued petting the other man's hair, and Zoro sighed and nuzzled closer to the touch, that at least proving how far gone he was. "You've got a fever."

" 'M sorry."

"For what?"

"Getting lost again. Getting you both into this…" he focussed blearily on Usopp before closing his eyes and groaning. "Why isn't Luffy here yet?"

"He'll get here when he gets here," Sanji said, holding his temper by a thread. "Just stay lucid for me."

"What?"

"Should have known. Don't go to sleep."

" 'M tired."

"Zoro! Idiot!" Sanji shook his shoulder gently. "Usopp? Help?"

And Usopp launched headfirst into a tale of dashing bravery while Sanji noticed with relief that Zoro opened his eyes to listen.

Good. Now all they had to do was wait for Luffy.

And then…

Then, some people were going to pay.

**Mood: Enthralled**

**Rating: PG-15 (mind-control, blood)**

**Pairing: ZoroxSanji**

**Word Count: 494**

**Notes: This is what listening to the new Green Day album does to my muse…**

He could only watch, and it was killing him. Slowly.

He had no idea what sort of sadistic Devil's Fruit this man possessed, but it seemed to hold an ability almost akin to hypnosis.

Being controlled would be better than this…better than watching his friend…his…

Sanji. Hands…his precious _hands, _and it was almost like the sadist knew how special they were to him, but if Zoro didn't get through…

He'd never use them again.

They were already almost ruined, courtesy of some sort of serrated knife the cook was holding, compelled by the strange power to…

Zoro shook his head, his throat already raw from yelling at the blonde to stop, but only once had Sanji turned, bright cobalt eyes darkened to a shade that was unearthly. He was completely and utterly under the spell of their enemy, and even in the dim, almost half-light of the room Zoro could see the blood running down his gorgeous hands, snaking in rivulets along his pale arms as he held one palm in front of his face, a weird little smile on his face.

He had to get through to him, break this spell…

The man who had initiated it was long gone, seemingly only appearing to wreak havoc and then departing. Zoro hadn't even seen him.

He was afraid to touch the other man, for fear it would only make him hurt himself worse. But what else could he do? Nothing was getting through to him, not even…

Not even…

He didn't yell the next time, instead simply saying the cook's name in one of those rare instances, the syllables slipping off of his tongue like a lover's caress as Sanji visibly jerked, the knife falling from his suddenly nerveless fingers, and Zoro saw the human light re-enter his eyes, followed by an abject horror, and then…

Indescribable pain, and Sanji collapsed, staring at his ruined hands in disbelief. He glanced to the knife once, and Zoro _knew _what was running through his mind.

He wouldn't let the cook use it on himself. Not that way.

He jumped, kicking the blade away while Sanji launched himself at the swordsman, sobbing uncontrollably as Zoro just held him, blood smearing down his shirt as Sanji clutched at him.

"It's okay."

"No...my dream…"

"Sanji, it's _okay," _Zoro pulled him up, stared into those tear-bright eyes, and, almost as if in his own trance, bent his head to catch the cook's lips in a salty kiss. Sanji sobbed into his mouth and pressed against him, moulding their bodies to each other. "Sanji; Sanji," Zoro murmured against his lips, "We'll get Chopper. It's not too late."

Sanji just shook his head, but he closed his eyes and let Zoro lift him, nose pressed into the swordsman's neck as he ran.

"What if I can never cook…"

"Don't think that way. Ever." He started to move faster.

It wasn't too late. The blonde was stronger than this.

He knew it.

**Mood: Envious**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairings: None specified**

**Word Count: 489**

He had thought that it was jealousy. It made sense, after all: this desire to get one of them…just _one of them _to pick him to hang out with after work. Of course, the problem lay in having an odd number of foremen anyway, and while sometimes Iceburg would invite him over, the other man was busy running a city and didn't have a lot of idle time (plus he had to deal with Kalifa, and that was just stressful).

He could hardly count the number of nights he was sitting alone in the bar, gambling his hard-earned money away (and then having to run like mad from the debt collectors) while he was sure the others were having a good time elsewhere.

Tilestone and Lulu always went out together, to do 'manly things,' which Paulie equated to "we don't want to deal with you and your debt problem." Not that Tilestone was such a great guy to hang with anyway…after all, when he spoke, the city heard. Lulu was relatively normal, but he seemed wary of Paulie's habits, and so unless the whole lot of Galley-La was going to Blueno's he typically avoided the other man.

And the other two…they were worse yet. Always off together whenever they had a break, although Paulie for the life of him couldn't figure out _how _Kaku could talk to that pigeon-freak without going crazy.

He was convinced Lucci was just playing some sort of elaborate game, anyway.

Feh. Ventriloquism.

It's not like it made the man popular…okay, so people were kind of interested when they saw the bird talk, and the women seemed to think Lucci was handsome, and…

Feh. Not a chance.

So he was relegated to sitting in bars by himself, and planning out _how _he could get somebody to hang out with him…

At least, until that night at the mansion…

When he'd heard that voice for the first time, and wished he was wrong about Lucci being able to talk, because it made everything hurt more. Silky, full of whispering, poisonous lies: we were _never _your nakama.

Seeing the shock, the quickly masked hurt in Kaku's eyes at the words, but he stayed. Stayed to follow that sadistic man, and _why? _

What did Lucci have that he himself didn't? Why could he compel others to fight with him even when they didn't fully _believe? _

He supposed he'd never figure it out. He hadn't thought he would survive that night and then…then he was at Enies Lobby, taking on the world, and he still couldn't help feeling that familiar envy, that for _five years _he had believed a lie.

Revenge was sweet, after all, and maybe he was letting his emotions get the better of him, but…

"Oi."

The swordsman turned, and he heaved a breath and spoke. "When you find those guys…tell them from me…"

No regrets, now. They'd chosen their path, and he his.

"…they're fired."

**Mood: Excited**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairing: ZoSan if you see it, but extremely mild**

**Word Count: 497**

Nami was excited.

Now, normally he wouldn't care whether or not his navigator was excited (generally because it was over money, and he didn't see the appeal. Food, however…)

And going back to why he cared, that was it. Food.

She had told him to be quiet when they returned to the ship from their shopping excursion, and he was hardly going to listen, but then she'd threatened him with _no meat for a week! _

Needless to say, he was being quiet.

Usopp was looking a tad more afraid than normal (after all, they were just going back to the ship!) and he kept shooting these suspicious glances at Nami. Luffy had seen the two of them talking before, but he had been distracted by this funny old guy in the marketplace. He had this funny talking parrot with him that repeated everything Luffy said, and he got it running on a continuous mantra of 'Meat, meat, meat!' that was funny until Nami had punched him and dragged him away.

So now they were back at the ship, and Usopp and Nami were talking about money, but he wasn't really listening. He spotted Zoro and Sanji near the railing and was about to rocket over and say hi, but just as he started to call "Zo-" Nami clapped a hand over his mouth and reminded him of her previous 'no meat' threat.

He was about to ask why when she moved stealthily closer, and he and Usopp followed; Usopp was looking more scared by the minute, but he was ready to start laughing in his customary way until a glare from Nami silenced him once more and he began to pout.

Instead of going up the gangplank, however, she snuck around to the far side of the dock so that they could see the bow of the ship. "N-N-Nami, maybe we should just head back into town for a bit…"

"Can it, Usopp," she hissed, crouching low and motioning for the others to follow her. "You're just worried you'll lose."

Oh, was there a bet? Luffy hadn't paid any attention; frankly he was still thinking about the talking parrot. But there was something else going on here, and he peered at Sanji and Zoro as Nami started to grin, Beri signs flashing in her eyes.

"N-N-Nami?" Usopp tried again. "Nami, we shouldn't get so close, they'll…"

"Hah!" she jumped up in triumph and Usopp groaned. Luffy couldn't see what was so exciting; Zoro just had his arm around Sanji's shoulders and they were whispering about something. Boooring. "Pay up, long-nose."

"Hai, hai," Usopp rolled his eyes and handed over the money. "But who would've thought…those two…" he shook his head and walked off.

"Come on, Luffy. Let's go back to the village."

Nami tugged his wrist and he followed, forgetting all about what happened on the ship because right now there was something even _more _exciting on the way: it was almost time for his afternoon snack.

**Mood: Exhausted**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairings: None, really…**

**Word Count: 494**

"She's a beautiful ship, isn't she?"

Iceburg glanced at Franky before taking a sip of his beer and turning to stare back at the water. "Nmaa, she's your dream-ship."

"That she is. At least she's got a fine crew to sail her…"

The mayor hardly missed the wistful note in Franky's voice, and he said quietly, "You know you have to go with them."

"Haha, good one, Baka-burg," Franky let out a strained laugh. "My place is here, remember? My dream was…"

"To build a ship to rival the _Oro Jackson, _I know. But tell me, how will you have proof it sailed the world if you are not there to see it?" he yawned and leant back, glancing sideways at his companion.

"They're good kids. If anyone can do it, it's them."

"But you won't know," Iceburg shook his head.

"What? You trying to get rid of me?" Franky obviously bristled. "What's my family gonna do, huh? I saved them! If it wasn't for me, they'd just be petty criminals. What if they go back to that? And how can I abandon my little sisters?" he guzzled an entire bottle of cola before turning to glare at the older man.

"Nmaa, we'll take care of them, Franky. I'm sure that if they can dismantle ships they can learn how to build them. We need more competent workers, regardless, after…" he closed his eyes and stopped, pointedly _not thinking _about the three people he'd employed who had lied to him for five long years.

"Yeah," Franky cleared his throat, looking a little shamed, and Iceburg sighed.

"Regardless, Franky, you know you have to join them."

"It's your ship as much as mine. If I go…"

"I'm the mayor," Iceburg said sternly. "I can't just run off. Besides…I'm old."

"I'm hardly young anymore, either," Franky muttered.

"But you're…" Iceburg stopped, reluctant to phrase the words 'not human,' although Franky caught the gist of what he was going for.

There was silence for a while, and Iceburg leaned back, finally feeling the many hours he'd put into the ship catching up. He was preparing to sleep when Franky said quietly, "Do you think that…if I hadn't gone after Tom…it would have turned out this way?"

"We'll never know," Iceburg stared up at the clear sky. "I know it changed me forever."

Franky visibly flinched at the words. "I…"

"No, I overreacted. It wasn't your fault, Franky, but…" he sighed and got to his feet, emptying the rest of his mug as he gestured to the boat in the water. "Think about it. Your dream is too big to let go of now."

"You…"

"I'll talk to you tomorrow," Iceburg raised his hand in a wave as he walked off, looking for a proper bed, while Franky stared after him for a good while before turning back to the water and gazing upon the ship…_his _ship.

" 'Too big to let go of, eh?' Heh, we'll see."

**Mood: Flirty**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairing: LawxKidd**

**Word Count: 494**

"One of these days, he's really going to kill that boy."

"Perhaps, but it will not be this day," Basil Hawkins said absently, glancing from one young captain to the other and blinking slowly.

Drake silently reminded himself never to make those empty comments around the eccentric man; sometimes he tended to forget that Hawkins had some strange Devil-Fruit power of future-sight, but the blonde man always reminded him of it soon enough.

However, Hawkins' continual oddities weren't what had caught his attention this time around: rather, it was two of his fellow high-bounty captains, namely Eustass Kidd and Trafalgar Law.

And the large, burly man whose lap Law was currently seated in; the smoky-eyed young pirate was whispering things into the strange man's ear, and by the rather tight grip said man had on Law's waist, Drake could pretty much guess what was being said.

"Love problems." Hawkins was absently flipping over tarot cards.

And of course he was right. It wasn't hard to tell that Kidd was insanely jealous, but by the seductive smirk on Law's face and the almost-resigned one on Kidd's, it also wasn't hard to tell that, somehow, it was the red-haired man's fault.

And while Drake suspected that perhaps the two young men thought their secret flings were in fact secret, you would have had to be blind not to see that they were lovers.

"There's going to be a confrontation soon," the enigmatic man beside him muttered, and Drake was beginning to regret sitting beside him. It took a lot of the fun out of life when he knew what was going to happen before it did.

But, sure enough, it appeared that Law wasn't satisfied with just provocative whispers, and he was now quite unashamedly making out with the yet-unnamed man.

Kidd apparently had also decided that it was enough and stood up, holding out his hand as Law raised his own.

And if it was a battle between their abilities, Drake wasn't sure he wanted to be around. Things were going to start flying very soon.

"What's the matter, Mr. Kidd? Can't stand seeing me have a little fun?" Law said, his clear tenor carrying through the tavern.

"When I suggested we get a drink, Trafalgar, I had no idea that the words somehow implied that you should feel up another man," Kidd replied, an evident growl in his voice.

They continued to stare each other down, electricity crackling from Kidd's fingers while strange rotating wheels of light appeared under Law's outstretched hand.

"Well, I daresay I could use a refill."

"Hawkins, you realize that…" Drake motioned, indicating that the other man would have to walk _between _Law and Kidd to get to the bar.

"Naturally. But I am not going to die today," Hawkins slid off the stool and walked forward with a polite, "Pardon me, gentlemen."

Drake groaned and rubbed his temples with a pained grimace.

They were all crazy.

All of them.

**That's it for this time around ;) **

**Hope everyone enjoyed, and please let me know what you think!!!**


	5. Frustrated to Hopeful

**Finally got this batch done :D. Warnings are the same as always, at the beginning of every drabble, so I hope you enjoy!!**

**Disclaimer: See Chapter One**

**100 Moods**

**Set Five: Frustrated to Hopeful**

**Mood: Frustrated**

**Rating: Hard R. You have been warned. **

**Pairing: None, imply what you will**

**Word Count: 500**

**Notes: Where does this stuff come from? I don't write stuff like this…**

He's in the corner of the hold, the door locked, under the excuse of getting some more supplies. He never specified _which _supplies, just that supplies were needed.

He's not getting supplies, though.

He's slumped against the wall, face flushed, chest heaving, pants open as he strokes himself, erection warm and heavy in his palm.

Running fingers lightly from base to tip, pressing his thumb into the slit and wishing, _wishing _it were a tongue and not his own hand, or if not a tongue at least someone _else's _hand.

Shirt hanging open, and he slides a hand up his sweat-slicked, toned abdomen to his mouth, sucking on his fingers as he stifles a moan. Fingers slide out, saliva coating them and running down his chin as they trail down, circling once; twice around a pink, peaked nipple before tugging, rolling the hardened nub between two fingers and moaning quietly again.

Hand sliding down, leaving a glistening trail before it slips to the back, under pants and underwear to circle once more before one finger presses in and he groans.

He's done it before, but never like this; never imagining somebody else's fingers, somebody else's mouth on his burning flesh. He presses, harder, and the finger slides in, searching.

His half-lidded eyes flash open as he finally hits it, deep within his body, and he stops stroking his dripping arousal long enough to find a piece of heavy mooring rope and bite into it, making the most pathetic sounds around it in the hopes that nobody will hear him.

Hand drops back to his groin, but not touching; not there as he moves lower, fondling himself and humming in contentment, before sliding up, stroking with renewed vigour as with his other hand he probes deep within himself, rubbing that sensitive bundle of nerves and sighing when he finds a comfortable rhythm.

It's still not enough, though; never enough with just his own touch, and even as he rocks back and forth to stimulate every nerve ending, even as he feels release tightening in his gut and his hand moves faster, harder on his skin, he knows, knows, knows…

"Ah…ah…" he gasps out around the rope, hitting that high as his mind blanks and he's there; it's perfect; hands moving in unison to bring him as close to the edge as he can go. He's shaking, sweating, heart pounding, breath coming in fast gasps and he's going to going to going to…

A name tears from his throat, and not the name he thought he'd ever say, and he feels the spurt of warm liquid, dripping to the floor, before he removes his fingers and lifts his soiled hand to his lips, licking the bitter fluid.

And the high leaves; leaves him shaking from cold, sweat cooling on his flushed body, feeling dirty and horrible and _sick, _and he wants, wants, _needs _more, but he'll never get it.

The one whose name he shouts in ecstasy…will only ever be a name.

**Mood: Giddy**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairing: RobinxSanji, in a way**

**Word Count: 500**

It takes a lot to get Nami drunk.

That being said, she's pretty much gone, and that means that everyone else is pretty much gone as well, Robin thinks as she watches her crew. They're only a couple of days away from Thriller Bark, but gaining a new Nakama and not losing their first mate seems to have had a rather adverse effect on the young crew. They're high on happiness and contentment, and the party's been going non-stop since they all woke up…about a week ago, now.

Luffy and Usopp are utterly plastered, and she stifles a smile behind her coffee cup as they dance around, singing something horribly off-key, and she's pretty sure they slipped something into Chopper's customary milk as well because the young reindeer is quite pink under his fur as he watches them.

Zoro is sleeping. Not unusual, considering what he's been through, but with Nami deciding that sleeping Zoro would make a good pillow, Robin wonders how he can stay so firmly ensconced in dreamland.

Brook, she thinks, is always drunk. Or at least he seems that way, 'yohoho'-ing his way around and dropping to pull his inexplicable 45 degrees trick against any vertical surface.

Franky doesn't drink, not really, but he gets just as excited as the rest of them and he and Brook have now started a jig and Nami gets up long enough from her nap to thunk them both in the head. Brook takes this as an invitation and asks to see her panties, and Robin thinks she just might be drunk enough to take him up on that, but her rationality pulls through and she punts him across the ship.

Impressive kick that girl has, Robin thinks. She must be watching…

Robin's cyan eyes slide over to the lanky cook, propped against the railing, dressed in that worn hoodie, and smoking, a sated smile on his face. She gracefully sets her mug down and gets up, moving away from the raucous party on the foredeck to the more secluded part of the ship.

"Sanji-san?"

"Ah, Robin-chan, how can I be of assistance? Some more coffee?" he twirls, always eager to serve.

"You don't seem to be enjoying the party."

"It's gone on for a week," he shrugs. "And besides, I'm not one for big get-togethers anyway."

"You should enjoy the peace while it lasts," she reminds him, all too well aware of how quickly things can change when you sail with Monkey D. Luffy.

"I _am _enjoying the peace," he counters.

"Well, true enough," she leans beside him on the rail, and he looks at her curiously.

"Robin-chan?"

And in the end she'll put it all down to the energy of the party getting to her, but when she kisses him and he makes the most wonderful noise, she can't help but feel it's right.

She walks away immediately, leaving him breathless and confused, before she turns and says, "Come back with me?"

And he nods and does so.

**Mood: Giggly**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairing: AcexVivi. Weird, I know, but it's very mild. **

**Word Count: 494**

**Notes: Contains spoilers for recent chapters. But we all know who Ace is related to, right? **

Desert nights were cold, which everyone knew perfectly well, but somehow it became infinitely more bearable when they discovered that not only had Ace managed to procure food from that village, but several types of alcohol as well.

This, of course, prompted a massive party, and now there was only one bottle of sake left (which Zoro, naturally, had procured and saved for 'a special occasion').

However, Ace thought as he watched Luffy's crew dance around the fire, he wondered if the young Alabastan princess had ever experienced sake before.

Because Vivi was drunk.

_Really _drunk.

And apparently when she got plastered, she giggled.

Annoyingly.

Well, actually, it was kind of cute, he grinned, but she was still practically a kid, so he wasn't going to think of her in that way. She was, what, four years younger than he was?

And of course she was royalty and he was…well…a pirate.

"Ace-san!" she had giggled her way over, managed to trip on a rock jutting out of the sand, and fell nearly onto his lap. "Oof! Wow, the fire's so _pretty _tonight, Ace-san!"

"Calm down there, little miss," Ace moved back slightly and moved to push her hood off of her head, freeing her long blue hair.

"But Ace, you make such pretty fire," she pouted, although it was hard to hear her over the rest of the crew…especially with Luffy, Usopp and Chopper screaming "Kanpai!" every two seconds and Nami, who could apparently drink anyone under the table, screaming at them to be quiet.

Looking over at Zoro and Sanji who were, for once, agreeably getting along (more than 'getting along' in Ace's opinion; Sanji was practically laying in the swordsman's lap) the blonde glanced up and met his eye, raising his curled eyebrow as Ace tried to get Vivi to stop pawing at him.

He had a feeling that Sanji would be seeking revenge on Luffy and the other two idiots for getting Vivi as drunk as she was, but for the moment he seemed content to lay and smoke. Zoro let out a prodigious yawn and flopped back onto the sand and Sanji irritably shoved him.

Smirking to himself, Ace caught Vivi's hand from where it was sneaking under his robe and shook his head, placing it gently in her lap as she pouted.

"But _Ace, _you're so _warm," _she was whining again, and it was rather adorable, but Ace knew better than to flirt with the heir to a kingdom.

Not that he wasn't the son of 'royalty' himself, but somehow he doubted Cobra would take that as an excuse. But, he wasn't going to deny her…at least, not warmth, which they so desperately needed in the desert.

"Alright, little miss. C'mere," he held out his arm and she gratefully snuggled against him, giggling now and then at the Idiot Trio. Ace stifled his own laugh and closed his eyes, feeling peaceful and content as he drifted off to sleep.

**Mood: Gloomy**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairing: ZoSan**

**Word Count: 500**

**Notes: Modern mythical AU**

The sky was grey; dull; the waves crashing onto the rocky shore as needles of freezing rain drove from the sky. The whitecap spray washed over a lone figure on the closest outcropping to the sand. Nobody was on the beach today; the tourists holed up in their hotels, warm in front of their fireplaces with cups of hot chocolate or watching the massive waves through the lobby windows.

It was storm season.

But he wasn't going inside.

He was waiting.

The water flattened his golden, sun-kissed hair to his scalp, darkening it to a sandy brown and dripping off of his long fringe to run in rivulets down his pale skin. His tail slapped almost forlornly on the black rock; wondering; waiting; hoping.

He had debated not coming.

He shouldn't have come.

He'd made a fatal mistake: he'd fallen in love.

With a mortal.

And if he left; never came back; it would be a very short time (for him) before the human died, but every year he returned to the desolate shore to wait for their annual meeting, as short and unfulfilling as it was forced to be.

He'd never even found out his name, instantly captivated by the seaweed-green hair and the triple golden earrings that the man pulled off so effortlessly. Sometimes he wished he could trade in his tail for legs so that they could truly consummate their relationship, but such things were the stuff of legends.

He was doomed to the sea, and his companion to the land.

As he continued to stare at the colorless landscape before him, the weak winter sun broke through a thin patch of cloud, and he caught a flash of light on gold from behind him.

He turned, unwilling to look too excited, as the man moved onto the slippery rock, but he walked with the assurance of a man completely confident in his own balance and ability.

"You came." His voice had a musical lilt, and his sky-blue tail slapped the rock a little harder in obvious excitement.

"You were worried?" the man grinned, pushing the hood of his rain slicker off and moving to sit beside the blonde. "I made you a promise, Eyebrow."

"I can't trust humans to keep promises, Marimo. I've loved and lost too many times…" and not just the ones who had died, but also the ones who never returned.

The green-haired man slid an arm around the thin shoulders and leant in for a wet kiss. "I won't be like those men."

"But we can never…" the merman closed his eyes, unwilling to cry.

"It doesn't matter," the other man assured him, holding him close. "We don't have to have that kind of relationship…"

"I'm Sanji," the merman suddenly blurted, knowing that he'd never revealed his name to anyone but somehow feeling a need to.

The brilliant smile he got in return told him he'd done the right thing.

"Zoro," was the reply, and together they sat, contentedly watching the storm.

**Mood: Good**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairing: None, really**

**Word Count: 466**

**Notes: I've been reading too much out-of-fandom stuff lately. It does weird things to my muse. Oh, this is obviously AU. I kind of like this world, actually…**

He stares out the window to the dirty city, streaked with rain and mud and soot and smog, and wonders for the millionth time why he lives in such a dingy run-down old top-floor apartment with a band of misfits when he could probably own his own high-class restaurant in one of the good neighbourhoods.

Not the ones where you look down and see junkies shooting up on your doorstep or bums passed out in your graffiti-covered entrance, but ones where women in white jog with their golden retrievers and children get into Rolls Royce's to take them to private academies.

Still, here he is, wearing an old hoodie and wondering why his hair looks so horrible when the door slides open. "Hey."

"Hey," he turns, setting down his cold cup of coffee (had it ever been hot?) and glancing back at the man who had just entered and is fighting with getting his scarf off properly. "How was work?"

"Work was work," the man finally gives up on the scarf and huffs, and the other unfolds his long, perfect legs and moves to undo the scarf with long, perfect fingers. "Thanks."

"Whatever, little Marimo," he holds the scarf close before wrapping it around his own neck.

"Why's it so cold?" the green-haired man asks, realizing as if for the first time that he's shivering despite still wearing his coat.

"Because we have no heat," the first man flicks the other's nose teasingly. "Remember? No money?"

"Oh, right," the one named 'Marimo' rolls his eyes. "Oi, Sanji?"

"Yeah, Zoro?"

"Got any more coffee?"

"If you make it," Sanji replies with a nonchalant shrug, managing to look regal and stately even dressed in too-big too-worn clothes. Zoro grunts and moves into the kitchen to do that while Sanji hops up on the counter and swigs his legs.

They're quiet until the phone rings, but neither of them move to answer it and soon a message is played to the open room.

"Hey, guys! Usopp 'n me are going for dinner and he said he'd pay and…"

"Luffy! I did _not _say I'd pay! I have no money!"

"But you sold that painting and…"

"A-anyway, 7:00 at the café, hope you guys can make it."

"Hahaha, Nami said she'd come, too, and Kaya's coming, so bring dates, k?"

"Luffy!"

-click-

"That boy has no tact," Zoro mutters, stirring some powdery coffee sweetener that he'd swiped from a local corner store into his strong coffee.

"Well, we could always just take each other," Sanji suggests with a smirk.

"Yeah?" Zoro glances up, a smile playing about his lips.

"Yeah," Sanji nods, and Zoro shakes his head and looks back at his steaming cup of caffeine.

And Sanji thinks that, in the end, maybe this life isn't all that bad.

**Mood: Grateful**

**Rating: PG-13 **

**Pairing: None**

**Word Count: 500**

It was a strange, strange thing, to feel this much gratitude; to care so _much. _Especially because a mere day ago when asked, she would have gladly said that she hated any and all of them.

Well, perhaps not _all, _but enough of them to constitute the majority.

But when one of the ones that she hated saw her shredded clothing and basically dropped his shirt on top of her head, she felt a strange sort of almost sibling-like thankfulness.

He didn't have to.

He was more burnt than she was, all things considered.

But he _did, _and instead of making some scathing remark that she would have normally had to reprimand him for, he just gave her the shirt.

Maybe, she reflected, it had to do with the fact that they…all of them…had lost. Maybe it had to do with the fact that their incompetent boss had finally abandoned them. Maybe it had to do with the fact that unless they got out, they were all going to die in the Buster Call.

Maybe it had to do with the fact that, in the end, they _did _care about each other.

But probably not. Probably it was only temporary.

A horrible, strangled cough broke her out of her musings, and Jyabura came back up the stairs, carrying a figure absolutely soaked in blood; clothing in worse shreds than her own.

"We have to find the others," Jyabura's voice was scratchy, his usual feigned contempt for the man on his back hidden. "We have to get out…we…"

"How?" she asked, tugging the shirt tighter around her. "We have no time; the island's going to be destroyed."

"Blueno."

It was quiet, but fervent, and she knew without a doubt that until they found Lucci, _if…_no, certainly they would…Kaku was in command. She had always felt protective of him; he was still a child, but she knew she would follow him without question.

He coughed again, blood staining his lips, and she felt another unwarranted pang of sympathy.

"He's right," Jyabura nodded. "He can get us out of here."

"How do we know…"

"They're alive," Kaku said firmly, and once again she didn't think to question him. "We just have to find…"

There was a crash from outside; the building was going down, and she could see her death. It was scarier than she would have anticipated.

The displacement of air in the room was subtle, but when the door opened and the remaining members of their team fell through, she felt a strange surge of affection for all of them.

"Let's go," Blueno gestured, and her heart clenched again at the sight of their obviously unconscious leader.

"Is he…" Kaku couldn't finish the sentence.

"Alive. For now," Blueno gestured again. "Now. Hurry," he spoke with no emotion, but the urgency was there as he helped her to her feet.

"Go," Kaku urged her, and she went without question.

…funny that it took her this long to realize she'd follow them anywhere.

**Mood: Grumpy**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairing: None. Vague Shanks/Mihawk if you want it. **

**Word Count: 500**

**Notes: Because these two bickering are so much fun to write xP**

"You _have _to lighten up!"

A glare was the only response to the words; a glare and a half-sneer that seemed to be the closest thing to a smile that he would ever get out of the other man. Everything about him was sharp, from his strange golden eyes to the pointed goatee to his weapon of choice to the cut of his words, made even more scathing by the absolute tenor of his voice.

"It's strange, isn't it?"

The abrupt change of subject made the swordsman turn, and he slung a too-friendly arm around his shoulders and gestured grandly, "Why is it that in all of the stories the most powerful men have the deepest voices? Look at us; two of the most powerful men in the world, and neither of us sound very intimidating Tone wise," he amended. He got strange when he drank; he knew that well enough, and from the look he got in return, he suspected that he really wasn't making much sense.

"Why should how you sound denote how strong you are?" was the expected reply.

"It doesn't. It's just weird, y'know? Like us; we're weird. Privateer and Buccaneer, Warlord and Emperor…rightfully we should hate each other…"

"We _do _hate each other."

"But we're drinking...-hic-…together and…and…" his voice faltered. He knew about the impending war, and the thought was sobering, even as he removed the extravagant hat from his companion's head and placed it on his own. "Dracule?"

The hawk-eyed man looked at him, knowing instantly that this wasn't the drink talking. "Yes?"

"When the war starts, whose side will you be on?"

"We're enemies," the man stated bluntly. "We will always _be _enemies. I work for the government now."

"For convenience's sake!"

"Do you believe that?" he looked straight into the other's eyes for once, and Shanks met his gaze evenly.

"I'd like to. You were never a real pirate, Dracule. Just a man with a dream; but…but you're not a government dog either, no matter what the general perception of 'Shichibukai' is. You don't use your position in order to bend the rules; it's merely a matter of protection against those who seek to unfairly dethrone you," he said calmly, all traces of drunkenness gone from his system now.

"You overestimate me."

"I _know _you," Shanks protested vehemently, pulling the other man so that their foreheads rested together, not caring that it knocked his feathered hat askew.

"You don't know anything about me," Mihawk attempted to pull back but Shanks kept them close.

"I know that you have to lighten up," Shanks grinned again before pulling back a bit and letting his arm wrap around Mihawk's shoulders again. "Drink?" he held out a fresh mug, and Mihawk rolled his eyes before taking it. "Dracule…will you really choose the government over us?"

Mihawk didn't answer, but Shanks didn't expect him to, knowing that, until the moment came, the swordsman wouldn't _know_ the answer.

And he would just have to be content with that.

**Mood: Guilty**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairing: None**

**Word Count: 496**

**Notes: Ace-centric, spoilers for recent chapters. The italicized/bolded/separated lyrics are from the song "What You Own," from the musical **_**RENT**_**. It's probably my favorite song of the musical, all things considered, and it's totally not as angsty as the snippets make it sound like xP**

_**Don't breathe too deep**_

No.

Nononono_no_ this wasn't supposed to happen, not this way. Whitebeard…captain…_father, enemy of my father_…wasn't supposed to come.

Wasn't supposed to lie; wasn't supposed to cover up the truth, the truth was the truth was the truth was he…

Knew he couldn't win. Was an idiot to think he could, but he had to had to had to try. _Would my father have done this? Risked everything to bring down a mutineer? _

And did it matter? _I don't want to be King of the Pirates, _his own voice, strong in his conviction.

_**That pint of shame**_

The war. The war had begun. The war was _his fault. _

So let him fight; let him die in a blaze of fire and glory; let him do _something _other than sit here shackled and forced to _watch. _Watch his captain, his crewmates, his…_brother. No, not 'brother,' but 'brother' in everything but pure blood_.

It was the ultimate culmination, the war a score of years in the making, the government and their privateer dogs against the pirates. Nobody could foresee the outcome, nobody; but…but if he just…

_**Just don't let go or you may drown**_

What if he were to be executed? Would the war stop?

There was no war when his father was killed, just the dawning of a new age.

Could he bring on a new age?

No, nonono he didn't want that, didn't want to think about…

_I'm not my father. I won't go nobly and unafraid to my death because my goal has been fulfilled. It hasn't. _

But what goal that was, he wasn't sure. Help Whitebeard find the One Piece? Sure, to begin with, but Whitebeard…if Whitebeard tried to offer it, he couldn't…

Couldn't, wouldn't, would never…

_I'm not my father. I never knew my father. _

_I don't want to _be _my father. _

_**Call me a hypocrite**_

What did he want? He wasn't sure he knew anymore. He didn't want to die, but if he was saved the war would start. And he didn't want the war, but that was impossible unless he were dead.

Maybe even _if _he were dead.

Best to stay alive, keep breathing, stop thinking, you can't have what you want, you've been cursed since you took your first breath…

_**You're not alone**_

But he was, he was so alone. No real family, no matter how much Luffy insisted; they weren't brothers.

His crew had already proven they could turn around and stab you in the back a moment's notice for fame and glory.

There was no one no one no one to depend on…no one who could save him and allow him to live with a clean conscience.

He didn't deserve to be…but he wanted to…but he needed to…

Luffy.

It always came back to Luffy, and Luffy would…

Save…

His brother. His _brother, _and just stop thinking stopstopstop…

Trust. 

Luffy, Whitebeard, whoever.

Just trust.

_**Just tighten those shoulders**_

Not alone.

Never alone.

_**I'm not alone.**_

**Mood: Happy**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairing: Mild ZoSan**

**Words: 482**

**Notes: Spoilers for fairly recent chapters. **

Sanji often thanked his lucky stars that he had made it off of Kamabakka Island alive, relatively sane, and without having to sleep with any one of the decidedly unattractive inhabitants there.

He thanked his lucky stars whenever he remembered…at least until, naturally, he ran into somebody he knew.

The fact that that person was Zoro was pretty much inevitable, based on the fact that his luck had never held for long.

And Zoro, wonderful man that he was, took one look and promptly began to laugh so hard he had to drop to his knees or risk falling over.

"Oi. Not funny."

"Cook," Zoro gasped out before dissolving into laughter again.

"I said, it's not funny!" Sanji lifted a heeled foot to kick the rude man, but Zoro caught his leg halfway down. He pulled, his hand sliding up Sanji's calf and eventually under his skirt, and he tried to wiggle away unsuccessfully.

"It's hilarious." Zoro had stopped laughing now and was deadly serious. "Because I know for a fact that you'd make the most beautiful girl in the world, but they made you look like somebody tried to doll you up in the dark. You got any normal clothes?"

"No, I…they were kind of ruined after Kuma…" Sanji stopped, reaching to remove his wig and scrubbing the excessive, almost clownish makeup off with a sleeve. He also did it to hide the fact that he was crying, but he'd never admit that.

"Hey, don't start. You're alive; I'm alive; I'm sure everyone's fine, love-cook," Zoro still hadn't moved his hand, and it was beginning to look a little inappropriate.

Sanji didn't really care; there was nobody watching, and he let his arms drape over Zoro's shoulders as he gave him a chaste kiss. "Yeah. You're right; they're stubborn freaks. And Nami-san and Robin-chan are brilliant, so they'll be fine."

"Something's bugging you," Zoro decided, and Sanji gave him a surprised look. "And I mean, something other than us being separated. Spill."

"It's just…you say that I'd make a pretty girl, right? Would you rather…would you…"

"Cook," Zoro chuckled. "It's only the truth; it's nothing to get excited about. Look," he released Sanji's leg and pulled him into a tight embrace. "If I wanted a girl, I'd get a girl. I'm not as unpopular with women as you tend to think. But I don't want a girl. I want you."

Sanji heaved a sigh before smiling. "That might be the most romantic thing you've ever said."

Zoro blushed immediately, tightening his arms even more. "Shut up. 'M not romantic."

"No; of course not," Sanji pulled back enough to kiss him again. "I'm glad you're alright, idiot Marimo."

"Yeah. Same, pervert cook," Zoro grunted. "Now, let's find you some normal clothes. Or at least a prettier dress."

Sanji kicked him for that, but he didn't bother to hide his grin this time.

**Mood: Hopeful**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairing(s): Mild KiddxLaw, see-it-if-you-want-it DrakexHawkins, and Bonneyxfood. The last one's canon, right?**

"Why would anybody _want _to be the pirate king?"

"Fame? Glory?" Bonney asked around a mouthful of pizza, swallowing noisily before starting immediately in on another piece. "Pick of any girl or guy you want?"

"You really believe that?" Drake looked sceptical.

"Well, sure. When you're as famous as that, it doesn't matter what you look like. People are gonna throw themselves at you. 'Course, I wouldn't, I mean, but _people…" _she cut off to down half the contents of her mug. "_People _would."

"Yes, but…" the original asker held up a hand before dropping it. "That doesn't answer my question."

"Then turn it around on yourself, Trafalgar," Bonney suggested. "Tell me why somebody _wouldn't _want to be the pirate king."

"In case everyone's forgotten, the _last _pirate king was executed. Not exactly a positive thing, is it?" Law had to ask.

"It's the principle of the thing," Bonney shrugged. "Glory or bust, y'know?"

"But is it worth it? Is glory _worth _an early death?"

"Easily remedied," Drake chimed in again. "Whoever becomes the new pirate king just has to make sure it'll never come to death. Roger gave him_self _up, remember?"

"Easier said than done," Law narrowed his dark eyes, glancing surreptitiously across the bar.

"Ooh, you're just pessimistic because you're worried about _him," _Bonney smirked knowingly.

"That's complete idiocy," Law replied, a little too quickly.

"He doesn't _have _to worry about me," came a new voice.

"Yes, because all of the things Bonney's been saying have been so _positive!" _Law rolled his eyes.

"Look, Trafalgar…" Kidd squatted beside the other captain's chair. "First of all, my reasons for wanting to find the One Piece are my own, but rest assured that even if countless men and women _throw _themselves at me, unless you somehow get killed out there the only person that will be sharing my _bed _is you."

Law blushed at the forwardness of this, but Kidd merely chuckled, grinned slyly, and said, "Well, it's not like it was a secret. But lighten up. I'm supposed to be the one who acts like there's no hope. And besides…" he stood and let his hand linger on Law's shoulder. "I'm not going to die today. Right, Hawkins?"

The man in question, who had been walking by the table, vacantly nodded before dropping down onto Drake's lap as if he hadn't noticed the man was there. "Yes, that is true. You will not die today."

"See? Now get outta your funk, Trafalgar!" Bonney clapped him on the back. "We're all alive here, and for once we can just drink and eat and be merry!"

Law finally smiled and nodded, feeling a little better about everything; maybe a little more hopeful. Drake and Hawkins were arguing about the proper usage of chairs and that you just _don't sit on somebody, _Bonney was stuffing her face again, and Kidd just looked vaguely disgusted with all of them.

All was right with the world once more.

**That's all for this batch :D**

**Don't be afraid to drop a review on the way out!!**


	6. Impressed to Lonely

**Bit of a different idea this time around; each drabble is inspired by a song/quote from a certain musical. Yes, they're all from the same musical, and extra point to whoever can name it!!! Ah…let's say a free request fic/drabble to whomever guesses first (if anyone does!) because I need to inspire my muse. These were hard to crank out even **_**with **_**the added inspiration! Ah…I'll give you a couple of hints, I suppose, since it's a rather obscure musical. 1. They aired a version of it on PBS this June that was recorded last May in London. 2. The three lead roles are played by a multi-platinum album selling recording artist, a Tony-award winner, and a Tony-award nominee. Enough? Hope so xP**

**Disclaimer: See Chapter One**

**100 Moods**

**Set Six: Impressed to Lonely**

**Mood: Impressed**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairing: Mentioned Usopp/Kaya; Luffy/Usopp friendship**

**Word Count: 488**

_He's a brilliant lunatic, and you can't tell which way he'll jump […]_

_You can't predict him; dissect him…_

_Which, of course, means he's not a lunatic at all._

Usopp had heard it several times from several people: Luffy was crazy.

The ones who had brought it up in hostile environments normally did it to try and weaken his resolve, and he knew well enough that even if his teeth were chattering so hard he couldn't reply, that Luffy most certainly wasn't.

The ones who had brought it up in honest conversation, however, were harder to placate. Because how was he to explain that Luffy was, in fact, not insane? By watching him, you certainly couldn't reach any conclusions.

Yes, he was childish; and yes, he was impulsive; and yes, he had a knack for not taking things as serious as they needed to be taken. But as soon as push came to shove, he turned icily rational, and though many of his battles were won by sheer fluke, he was enough of a strategist to figure out what needed to be done.

So no, Luffy wasn't crazy. Young, maybe. Inexperienced, maybe. But not crazy.

Of course, as soon as Luffy inevitably saved the day, all enemies who thought he was crazy just ended up hating him more, and all those who honestly asked just ended up looking at him with respect.

It was impossible not to respect Luffy, and sometimes it amazed Usopp that this incredible boy was, in fact, a month and a bit younger than Usopp himself, when it seemed that he had the confidence and the drive of somebody at least ten years older.

"Mah, Usopp, I'm booored," Luffy was currently accosting him as he tried to finish a new version of his Tabasco star, and at the moment he was currently leaning more towards 'mentality-of-a-three-year-old' as opposed to 'crazy.' "And everyone's busyyy and Sanji won't give me fooood…"

"Luffy, I'm busy, too," Usopp muttered, setting down his vials before Luffy did something to make him mix two liquids that really shouldn't be mixed.

Luffy pouted, making him _really _look like a three-year-old now, and Usopp stifled a chuckle and stood up, hoping Luffy would follow him to the rail and _away _from his impromptu lab.

Luffy did, predictably, and slid a rubbery arm around Usopp's waist in order to lean his head on the older boy's shoulder. "Mah, you're no fun."

"I know," Usopp stared at the waves and sighed.

"You miss her, don't you?"

"Hmm?"

"Kaya."

"Oh," Usopp _had _actually been thinking of her; he did it often, but Luffy was proving his strange perceptiveness once again. "Yeah."

"Well, don't! You can play with me!"

And he was off again, leaving Usopp shaking his head in wonderment. Insightful to immature in five seconds?

Yeah. Luffy was crazy, all right, and Usopp knew instinctively that he wouldn't take his captain any other way.

**Mood: Indescribable**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairing: ZoSan**

**Word Count: 500**

_We can turn this into friendship for life_

_And beyond…_

"One day we're all going to go our separate ways. You know that, right?"

Sanji blinked, tapping his cigarette on the rail and watching as the burning embers fell into the dark water. Zoro was laying on the deck, his back propped against the railing, with a half-full bottle of sake in his hand. "Hmm," he grunted.

"Well, it's true. Right now we're all heading for the same place, but eventually…we're not the type to stay together forever; we all have our own commitments."

Sanji grunted again, not wanting to have this conversation, but for once Zoro was being talkative.

"I mean, Usopp's got that girl, right? And Franky's got his ragtag family back in Water 7, and Nami and Chopper've got what amounts to family elsewhere, and once you find All Blue you're gonna stay, and even if Robin finds the polygraph she's never gonna stop looking for artefacts, and if Mihawk doesn't show up by the time Luffy gets to the One Piece, I'm gonna have to go off," he shrugged. "And Brook? Well, who knows with him…he'll probably want to stay with Laboon as long as possible, and…"

"Zoro, shut up. Please," Sanji clenched his fingers around the rail and cursed as his cigarette burnt down almost far enough to burn, spitting it out into the water. "I'm on watch; you should be sleeping."

"Can't," Zoro shrugged. "I slept all day," he stood and slid his arms around Sanji's waist, pressing a light kiss to the back of the blonde's neck. "What's wrong, love-cook?"

"I know. All that you were saying? I _know _that," Sanji said quietly. "But this…this _is _my family! You and I, going back would only mean admitting failure…we can't go back to where we came from. We need to keep moving, and as long as I'm on this ship, I _am. _Just because something's inevitable doesn't mean I have to obsess over it. It'll happen, yes, but until it does, I don't want to worry about it."

"Hey; hey, sorry," Zoro sighed. "I didn't mean to…you know…make you feel bad or anything…"

"You, Marimo, have no tact," Sanji let one of his slender hands rest on top of Zoro's larger ones around his waist.

"Make me a promise?"

"What?" Sanji asked irritably, not sure if he liked this sentimental Zoro any more than annoying, grumpy Zoro.

"Even if we…even if we have to split up sometime down the road…"

"You can come to my restaurant for free food anytime you want," Sanji cut him off before he got _too _sappy. "Sound good?"

"And a warm bed?"

"Hmm, beds are pretty scarce on floating restaurants. We might have to share," Sanji grinned.

"I can live with that."

He could tell Zoro was smiling, too, and after that the subject was thankfully dropped.

Yes, one day they might break apart, but right now they were together.

And that was the best feeling in the world.

**Mood: Indifferent**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairing: DrakexHawkins. Because so many people have commented on it with my little Supernova drabbles. **

**Notes: This quote is quite possibly my favorite line from the entire musical. Other than that, I tried to make my Hawkins less ditzy than usual and more mysterious. Tried being the operative word xP**

_I don't like women and I don't take dope_

Of all the people he could have run into at the Sabaody Archipelago, it had to be the one man he had been chasing back when he had been with the Marines…before he started wondering what it would be like to be a pirate.

He had been stationed in the North Blue for a while, back when Basil Hawkins didn't have much of a bounty and was merely a nuisance. They had crossed paths…once…and he shook his head at the memory. _That _shouldn't have happened. Alright, so he was prone to experimentation, and what greater experiment was there than to have sex with a man?

He hadn't counted on the sex being quite so _good, _but good sex or not, once he realized that the man he was laying with was not only a pirate but a _wanted _pirate, things went from bad to worse.

Add in the fact that Hawkins already had his Devil Fruit and he didn't yet…and their parting had been on less than harmonious terms. But now…

"Drake."

"Basil," Drake glanced up at the other man, noting that, as he had come to expect, nothing of what the blonde was feeling was shown on his face; he remained emotionless as far as the world knew. "Fancy seeing you here."

"And you? Privateer-turned-buccaneer, I see. Well. I could have predicted it, I suppose, if I had been given the chance. You were…rather forthright with me the next morning," Hawkins spoke calmly, his unblinking eyes staring into Drake's masked ones.

"I didn't know you were…"

"A pirate? Oh, yes. But then…you are, too. Now," he had to add.

"Basil, I hope you're not looking for a repeat of that night, because…"

"I don't have to," Hawkins' voice dropped. "You'll be spending the night with me no matter how hard you try to deny it. I know."

And Drake knew better than to argue with him, so he waved it off. "How many years has it been, Basil?"

"A fair few. We were both so young, then," Hawkins was staring off into space. "There's a storm coming."

Drake automatically glanced at the sky, but Hawkins shook his head.

"No. Not that kind of storm. A war. A war that will change the world."

"And who's going to win?" Drake asked cautiously.

"Even I cannot see all," was the cryptic response. "But there is a shadow over our future…our immediate future…a shadow even I cannot see through."

Drake nodded, but he had had about enough of this talk of death and destruction. "So…tonight, you say?"

"Yes. Perhaps I should go; it wouldn't do for us to be seen mingling," the tall man gracefully stood, his long coat rustling around him as he moved by, letting his hand rest on Drake's back momentarily. "No need to tell me where you're staying. I know."

And he was gone, just like that. Drake sighed, wondering why these sorts of things always happened to him.

**Mood: Intimidated**

**Rating: PG (These are all so tame!)**

**Pairing: Vague Shanks/Mihawk. I like writing them.**

**Word Count: 497**

_But why is he really here?_

_A whole year of silence, and suddenly, here he is._

A lot can happen in a year.

You can meet a kid whom you tease mercilessly and eventually end up viewing him as simply a younger version of yourself.

You can give up everything for said kid and end up losing a part of yourself…literally…in the process.

You can be so absorbed with your new life that you conveniently just don't go to the assigned meeting place with your oldest rival that you've been seeing faithfully for years; that you forget how stubborn said rival is and neglect to consider the fact that he'll show up wherever you are anyway.

At least, until it happens.

"Captain! _Captain!" _

_"What?" _he shouted back, not really alarmed by the panicked voice of his crew member. The men he had generally tended to overreact, for whatever reason.

"It's…it's…"

"Spit it out, man!"

"H-h-Hawkeye!"

"What?" he leapt to his feet and ran for the bluff, amazed to see the small, ominously lit craft bobbing in the waves. He dismissed the snivelling man beside him and walked to the beach alone, his long cloak whipping around him.

"So I see the rumors are true," Mihawk, always blunt, called as his coffin-shaped-boat eased onto the shore. "The great pirate emperor Red-Haired Shanks, giving up his left arm for a mere boy."

"A special boy," Shanks retorted, a little peevishly. What would Mihawk know about self-sacrifice, anyway?

"Evidently. So is this the reason you decided not to come?" Mihawk sniffed, stepping out of the boat.

"It only takes one hand to wield a sword," Shanks answered. "I suppose it just slipped my mind."

"You're going to get rusty. I'm the only one in the world who can have an even fight with you."

"Dracule, please. Let it go," he sighed and walked back along the beach, but was surprised when a hand grabbed his shoulder.

"You should have let me know."

"How? I had no idea…"

"I found you, didn't I? You would have found a way," Mihawk's voice was cold, and it took Shanks a minute to process the words.

"You were _worried!" _

"I was most certainly not."

"You were _worried _about me when I didn't show up!" Shanks crowed. "Admit it! Admit that you were worried!"

"Never," Mihawk let go of Shanks hurriedly and moved to walk past him before the red-haired man caught his arm and pulled him into a hug.

"Thank you."

"Let go of me. Now."

Of course, Shanks didn't, but that was only to be expected; the man never behaved according to normal protocol, so Mihawk channelled the human impulsiveness he only seemed to possess in the other's presence and returned the impromptu embrace, rolling his eyes as this only caused Shanks to pull them closer. "I'm glad you care."

"Believe me, I don't."

And Shanks knew that, yes, a lot of things _could _change in a year.

But some things never would.

**Mood: Jealous**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairing: None, really. **

**Word Count: 498**

**Notes: My sad attempt at Sanji's past. Inspired heavily by the lyrics, of course, but also because now I see a rather strange similarity between him and the character singing the song…hmm…**

_I didn't miss him; he made it perfectly clear_

_I was a fool, and probably queer_

Zoro was, to put it mildly, somewhat taken aback by Sanji's reaction. Sure, he'd teased him about his hair and his clothes and his all-too-feminine waistline before, but looking back, it was also true that he'd never explicitly insinuated that the blonde man swung the other way.

That still didn't explain why Sanji had visibly stiffened at the world 'queer,' been quiet all throughout supper, and then went to hide.

Zoro assumed he was in the hold; he wasn't anywhere else.

And he figured that since it was…well, kind of his fault that Sanji went off in a huff, he'd better do something to fix it.

And okay, so he didn't really _need _to burst through the door, but he wasn't going to ask before coming in.

"Oi, cook? You in here?"

"Go away," was the choked off response, and hang on, was he actually _crying? _

"Sanji?" The name felt odd on Zoro's tongue, but he moved through the darkness until he sensed a figure huddled behind the crates and knelt in front of him. "Cook?"

"What?" Sanji sniffed and looked up, although Zoro couldn't see much.

"I'm…look, whatever I said to set you off, I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault. You didn't know."

"Do you…" and Zoro cursed himself for being so shoddy with this sympathy stuff, "do you want to…talk…about it?"

There was complete silence, which Zoro took as shock, from the other man, until he whispered, "Do you want to listen?"

And oh, Zoro _really _couldn't say 'no' now, so he nodded, remembered Sanji couldn't see him, and then murmured a 'yes.'

"My father used to call me that…he wasn't a very nice man. Told me I would never amount to anything; I'd be shamed wherever I went; those sorts of things. Had a drinking problem, too. One day my mother told me to get out before things got worse, and she found a ship willing to take me on as a kitchen hand. I never saw them again, but I never forgot, and some part of me always wondered if…" he cut off.

"Is that why you're so obsessed about women?"

"Does it make more sense now?" Sanji sounded tired.

"Yeah…" Zoro had to admit, it did, but obviously telling his story to somebody wasn't making Sanji feel any better, so he had to make an effort. "You know, I've always been a little…jealous of you."

A snort. "Of me? Why?"

"Well, you're not afraid to look like a fool…"

"Oi."

"_And _you don't care what women think of you, but at least you're trying. I don't even have the nerve to."

There was a ten-second silence before Sanji burst out laughing. "That's…that's…only the stupidest thing I've ever _heard! _You're a horrible liar!"

And Zoro had to admit that, yeah, he was, but at least it got Sanji out of his funk.

That had to count for something.

**Mood: Kinky**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairing: Obligatory ZoSan**

**Word Count: 500**

**Notes: I was originally going to write something smutty for this mood. But I lack inspiration, so you get this xP**

_I'm learning things I didn't want to know_

When it came to Sanji, there was a lot that Zoro didn't want or need to know. Frankly, what the love-cook did when they made port was his own business, but when Nami made them room together _every single time _it began to be a problem.

Not because Sanji would bring prostitutes to their room; no, even he had higher morals than that, but because he'd come in early in the morning, stinking of sex and heavy, flowery perfume with his clothes rumpled and the most irritating smile on his face.

Not that Zoro looked at his face a lot, mind you, but when the moonlight hit just right…it was visible. That was all. Visible.

One night he decided to break his normal silence and asked softly, "Who was she?"

"Dunno," Sanji replied, apparently rather congenial in whatever afterglow he was still drifting in. "She was pretty. And she wanted me."

"Meaning you paid her," Zoro rolled his eyes. He wasn't oblivious. He knew Sanji was too much of a flailing fool around women to pick one up by his charm alone, but he was attractive in a strange way, Zoro absently supposed. Not that he'd been paying attention. Of course not.

"What I could afford. I need the money Nami-san gives me for food and cigarettes," he added, also breaking routine by coming to sit on Zoro's bed, tucking one foot underneath him.

"What do you get from it?"

"Hmm?" Sanji glanced over, absently reaching to run his fingers through Zoro's mossy hair. The swordsman first thought that the blonde must be drunk, but, since that didn't seem to be the case, he didn't question the uncharacteristic touch.

"The sex. What do you get from it?"

"Well, a lot of the girls have these kinky ideas, and…"

"Too much information, love-cook," Zoro grunted.

"And you?"

"Me what?"

"How come you never get laid?" Sanji stretched himself out beside the younger man, an unlit cigarette casually between his lips.

"Who says?" Zoro asked slyly.

"You never go to the brothels."

And Zoro really, really shouldn't be admitting this, but for some reason didn't care right then. "There's more than one kind of brothel."

Truthfully, he expected Sanji to kick him and call him degrading names. He did _not _expect the slender blonde to smile and whisper, "Well, that explains a lot," before leaning in and kissing him.

It wasn't the greatest kiss; Zoro's mouth was kind of open and he was trying to talk, which was hard when you were being kissed, but he finally pulled back enough to mutter a not-so-eloquent "Wha…?"

"You probably wouldn't have guessed, but sometimes it's fun to sit on both sides of the fence," Sanji said in a sultry tone, and Zoro decided to take advantage before this turned out to be just a strange dream.

There were plenty of things about Sanji he never wanted to know.

But this? This wasn't one of them.

**Mood: Lazy**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairings: Implied Luffy/Nami, future Usopp/Kaya, mild kinda-sorta ZoSan**

**Word Count: 498**

**Notes: Part of what I'm tentatively calling my 'starving artist' universe. Same world as 'Good' in the last set of these. **

_Who needs a dream?_

_Who needs ambition?_

"Ouch! Usopp, get your junk out of the living room!" Sanji irritably kicked a pile of canvas as he tried to navigate his way to the couch, stripping off his t-shirt and collapsing on the worn cushions gratefully.

"But my room's full!" Usopp protested, peering out of the doorway. He was covered in paint from head-to-toe, but that was hardly unusual. "I'm making a gift for Kaya."

"Just ask her out," Sanji fanned himself. "Why is it that this place is so cold in the winter and yet so hot in the summer?"

"Because the heat doesn't work and we don't have air conditioning?" Usopp questioned.

"Afternoon, boys. Won't be long; just grabbing my purse," Nami swept in, bustling over to the room she and Luffy shared before coming back into the living room and stopping. "You know, if you're overheating, just go to the café. They'll let you sit there all day as long as you order _some_thing," she pointed out, ruffling Sanji's sweat-soaked hair.

"Too lazy," Sanji replied, staring at the battered acoustic guitar propped on the opposite armchair.

"No, I'm not getting your guitar for you," she kissed the top of his head lightly. "And Usopp, get your junk out of the living room."

"Hah!" Sanji sounded triumphant before slumping back onto the couch. "It's too hot to celebrate."

"It gets worse," Usopp informed him sadly, scratching his nose and getting even more paint on it. "For once the water heater's decided to work, so the shower is boiling."

The door slid open again and Zoro poked his head in. "It's hot."

"No, really?" Sanji glanced at him. "Why do you wear that thing in the summer? It's a scarf."

"I like it," Zoro grunted.

"Aw, it's like your little security blanket," Sanji grinned, swiping some sweat-soaked hair out of his eyes. "Give it."

"And let you wrap it around your sweaty neck? Not likely," Zoro snorted, although he removed it and set it gently on the table.

"Where were you?"

"Job hunting."

"Any luck?" Sanji closed his eyes.

"Well, more than the two of you will ever have sitting in here," he grunted, unbuttoning his shirt halfway and dropping onto the couch, shoving Sanji away when the other man tried to lean against him. "Off. It's too hot."

Sanji groaned and dropped against Zoro again, ignoring him. "So? Get a job?"

"Got a bartending offer."

"Gonna take it?"

"Maybe. Should I?"

"Meh. We don't make enough money; may as well," Sanji nodded. "Get me a gig at the bar, will you?"

"Whatever. Oi, Usopp, just ask the rich girl out already, will you?" Zoro called as Usopp glared at his painting.

"It's not that simple!"

"Whatever. I'm too tired to argue," Zoro let his head slump against Sanji's. "I hate the heat."

"Until it's -30 and you'll be begging for it," Sanji countered, closing his eyes. "I'm going to sleep."

"Agreed," Zoro nodded, dropping off almost instantly.

**Mood: Lethargic**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairing: Lucci/Kaku **

**Word Count: 498**

_I can't think of anything I would rather do_

_Than be wasting my time on mountains _

_With you._

The townspeople were far too nice to them.

Of course, perhaps it was to be expected, considering that they _did _save the town from pirates, but it was obvious that they were going soft in their forced retirement.

Kalifa had actually taken the flower from the little girl and placed it in a vase, and Kaku was sure he'd never seen her so happy.

And then, when the people had offered to put them up in a mountain resort just outside the town as a reward…well, he knew for a fact that mere months ago they would never have accepted, and yet…here they were.

And Lucci was sleeping. He'd done that a lot since finally waking up, and Kaku didn't blame him…truthfully he'd expected the man to be much more stubborn about the whole issue, but it seemed that taking his anger out on those invading pirates had mellowed him.

And, while it shouldn't have been surprising at this point, Kaku was always continually amused at how much a person could become like the animal they turned into.

Not that Lucci reminded him of a cat…most of the time, but his sleeping habits were, at times, enviable. Like now.

Technically, he should have been taking it easy as well, but he was restless. He could feel that every moment spent here was a moment more they were putting these kind villagers in danger. He knew well enough that the Marines would be showing up; most likely to arrest them for being traitors, but that was a moot point.

"I can hear the wheels in your head turning from over here," came a mumbled voice, and Kaku turned to look at the other occupant of the room.

"You're up?"

"Even I don't sleep all the time."

"Eighteen hours a day practically constitutes 'all the time.' Rob," he added, feeling marginally secure in the knowledge that he was more-than-likely the only person who could call Lucci that and get away with it.

"I thought you would enjoy a place like this," Lucci got out of the bed and came to the window, settling himself beside the younger man with only a slight hitch to indicate he was still in pain. "It's beautiful."

"Rob Lucci, speaking of natural beauty?"

"I'm not a machine, you realize. I'm human. It just took almost dying to realize it," he said quietly.

Kaku flinched at the hidden emotion in the words and reached almost hesitantly to lay his hand over the other man's. "I'm glad you're alive."

"I know. When I first woke up, I wasn't so sure. But now I think I'm glad I'm alive, too," he said, staring out at the mountain peaks.

And Kaku knew that this was as close to 'I love you' as they would ever get, but that was alright. "It _is _beautiful," he conceded, tightening his grip.

Lucci just smiled.

**Mood: Listless**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairing: Mild Ace/Sanji**

**Word Count: 499**

**Notes: Spoilers for recent chapters. This also seems to be the product of me reading so many drug withdrawal fics from another fandom of mine…**

_Fame and possession:_

_They will destroy you; _

_Not rivals; not age; not success_

Sanji was frightened.

This was rare, because he rarely got scared…truthfully, he thought it had been bred out of him on that rock. And besides, he had his constants, now: his crew; his family; his nakama.

There was nothing to be afraid of. What they had was unbreakable, no matter how far apart they were, and now that they were together again, it should have been metaphorical 'smooth sailing.'

Only it wasn't.

And that was the scary part.

"Hey. I made some dinner."

He got a barely-perceptible head shake as an answer, but it was more than he'd gotten for a while.

"You have to eat. It's no good starving yourself," he said softly, adding, "Luffy's worried," for good measure.

"Luffy worries too much," was the grating response, spoken in a voice made raspy from misuse.

"Hey, I got you to talk," Sanji lit up a cigarette, not trusting old routines enough. Not yet. "Tell me what's wrong?"

"I'm done," the other replied, giving out a short, clipped, horrible laugh to accompany the words. "Done."

"No. You aren't," Sanji crossed his long legs and sank to the ground beside his friend, letting one hand rest on the other's back. "You're here; you're alive. You can live."

"But they know. The world knows. I'm…" he heaved a shuddering breath. "Can you even imagine the price that's going to be put on me? I'm a dead man."

"You're not helpless," Sanji felt obliged to point out. "You're…"

"I _lied _to you! About who I was!"

"I doubt there's anyone on this crew who hasn't lied at some point…who still isn't lying," he amended, thinking of his own past and the stories he'd never tell. "That's a poor excuse."

"Then what are my options? I was offered the title of Warlord, but I refused. I'm not…"

Woah; woah; woah, back up. You…a _Shichibukai?" _Sanji exclaimed.

"Yes, now pipe down. I don't want everyone…" the other man shook his head. "It's not something I'm proud of. That kind of power…it does things to you. Unless you're insanely strong-willed," he shifted, glancing down at the plate of food before pushing it slightly away.

"Ace, please eat something. You're killing yourself."

Ace gave him a withering look before taking a bite of the food. "There. Happy?"

"No, but it'll do," Sanji conceded, laying his head on Ace's shoulder. "We just want to get you back, Ace."

"I'm here."

"No; back to who you were before. This isn't you," Sanji tapped some ash off of his cigarette. "Remember how much you flirted with me in Alabasta?"

"You're attractive," Ace shrugged. "It was natural."

"Oh, good, at least you can still admit that!"

Ace snorted, and Sanji grinned. It wasn't a laugh, but it was close, at least.

And when he pulled out a fresh cigarette and found it lit before he reached his mouth, he knew things were only going to get better.

**Mood: Lonely**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairing: None**

**Word Count: 499**

_I see my present partner in the imperfect tense,_

_And I don't see how we can last._

_I feel I need a change of cast._

She had never liked Crocodile.

And that was saying something, because she had been with a great deal of unsavoury characters in the twenty or so years she'd been running and hiding, but there was never anybody who made her skin crawl quite the way Crocodile had.

She stayed with him, though, because he was the safest man she could possibly be with. He was employed by the government, who wanted her head, but he wouldn't betray her simply because she was useful to him. So as long as she stayed useful, she would be safe.

She tried hard to stay useful, but as time went on and she continued to pose as Crocodile's right-hand woman, the woman nobody else could touch, a sense of complacency began to set in.

No, she didn't like Crocodile; not one bit; but this was comfortable. And, to be honest, she didn't like Alabasta all that much, either: too much sand; not enough water, but the people were relatively congenial, and nobody suspected her of being worth nearly 80 million berries.

Sometimes she felt bad about lying to these people because, no, she wasn't evil. Not in the least, really, but sometimes you had to pick your battles.

And then there were the polygraphs, and she was willing to stick around at least until she found those, and then…then, maybe it was time to get out. There was only so much she would do to prove her usefulness, and she had crossed several of her own moral lines already. If she could get away without Crocodile knowing, things would be perfect. She would just have to find a new crew.

They came in the most unexpected way, of course. A young boy in a red vest and a straw hat, completely fearless and full of youthful vigor and confidence, and she felt her heart clench, because even sitting on that railing with guns pointed at her (never mind the one man was shaking and the other completely enamored with her), she could tell these people were _close. _

Were _family, _and it hurt, knowing she could never have that. Even the princess, standing there staring at her in horror, was part of this rag-tag group. Pirates, coming to save Alabasta? The idea was laughable.

Only…

Only it wasn't. Only it was so crazy it might just work.

She only realized this afterward, standing on the foredeck with a highly suspicious swordsman, that for once she was free of Crocodile and acting and pretending and running.

Luffy had saved her life. The second man to have done so, only this time she was still around to see what became of him…became of all of them, her new family.

Because Luffy had saved her life, and maybe for once it was time she stuck around long enough to repay the favour.

**That's all for this time around!!! Hope everyone enjoyed :D**


	7. Love to Optimistic

**So, this time, by pure chance, several of the moods herein are rather thoughtful and not particularly happy, which coincides well with…recent events in the manga. That being said, spoilers abound, and I'm sorry it's taken me so long to get these out. Hope everyone enjoys regardless!**

**Disclaimer: See Chapter One**

**100 Moods**

**Set Seven: Love to Optimisic**

**Mood: Love**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairing: Sanji/Usopp friendship, implied ZoSan**

**Word Count: 500**

"Okay, time for a game!"

"A game! A game!"

"Mah, I'm boored!"

"That's why we're playing a game, you idiot!"

"Ow! Usopp, Nami _hit _me!"

"Quiet, quiet!" Usopp threw his hands up. "Now. We're a crew, so we deserve to find out all we can about each other. So here's the question, and you have to answer truthfully: what do you love the most?"

And he thought, after the fact, that the answers _really _didn't surprise him, because it went something like this.

"Food!!!"

"Money!"

"The Sunny!"

"Yo-ho?"

"Being smarter than that Marimo over there."

"Oi! At least I don't look like a girl!"

"At least I have a brain!"

"Eyebrow-cook!"

"Moss-head!"

"Shut it, you two! Chopper, what about you?"

"Candy floss!"

"Any sort of rare artefact."

"And that's that. And we all know Usopp's going to say Kaya, so I guess we're done. Alright, I'm checking the Log Pose," Nami stood up and left, leaving Usopp wondering, as he often did in these situations, _why _he tried to come up with bonding exercises in the first place.

Everybody went off to do their own thing while Usopp sulked by the railing, jumping when Sanji slid in next to him – how the other man could be completely silent with those heavy-soled shoes he'd never know.

"Look, I appreciate what you've been trying to do, but you've gotta understand that most of their version of 'team bonding' is beating each other up," Sanji jabbed his cigarette toward Zoro and Luffy, who were arguing over the last pastry on a plate Sanji had put out. "You and me? We're sensitive guys, Usopp. We can't expect anybody who thinks with their muscles and not their brain to understand us."

"But the least you could do is tell me the truth," Usopp protested.

"I did. In a roundabout way," Sanji was looked at Zoro again, and Usopp figured it out rather quickly.

"Oh."

"Yeah. I trust you can keep a secret?"

"Of course! The great Captain Usopp…"

"Save it," Sanji chuckled, leaning casually on the railing. He flicked a few ashes into the sea before slinging an arm around Usopp's shoulders. "Love's a fickle thing, Usopp. If you have it, you can't let go of it. I profess to love almost every woman I meet, but it's entirely superficial. Real love is much messier and not close to perfect, at least with me. But keep hold of it, alright?" he pulled Usopp in, resting his chin on the teen's curly hair.

"Yeah. Okay," Usopp agreed, somewhat touched at this rare show of friendship and affection from the normally aloof cook.

"Saaaanjiiii! Foooooddd!"

"Shut up! I just gave you some!" Sanji barked, refusing to acknowledge Luffy any farther. "Well, I guess duty calls. But look, you ever need something, you come talk to me. Don't address it to the group, because you won't get the answers you're looking for. That a deal?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Sanji."

"Anytime," Sanji gave him a quick smile before walking away.

**Mood: Melancholy**

**Rating: PG-13**

**Pairing: Law/Kidd**

**Word Count: 496**

**Warnings: Spoilers for recent chapters. **

"You don't have to go."

"That's where you're wrong."

Kidd sighed and crossed his arms, leaning against the doorframe and glaring daggers at his obstinate lover. "You don't, Trafalgar."

"Mr. Kidd," Law returned, picking up his yellow shirt and shaking it out. "I may not be able to explain it to you, but believe me when I say I _do _have to go. I feel it."

"Leave the psychic drivel to Hawkins, alright?" Kidd moved into the room, shutting the door behind him. "We don't owe Straw-Hat anything, so why?"

"I told you, something's drawing me to him. He needs my help, I think."

"You'll probably be killed."

"I'm aware. It's not stopping me."

"Law," Kidd uses the other man's given name to get his attention, and Law turns to him in surprise, looking rather adorable with his messy, really-needing-a-new-dye-job hair and smudged kohl eyeliner. "Do you want me to come?"

"You'd do that?"

"Yeah."

"No," Law shook his head and went back to contemplating his shirt. "No, I'd never ask that of you, Mr. Kidd. Bad enough I'm putting Bepo and my crew in danger. You do what you have to and I'll catch you up."

"Do you have to go _now?" _Kidd changed tactics, and Law gave him a searching glance before shaking his head.

"No. Not immediately."

"Come back to bed?"

"Why, Mr. Kidd, if I didn't know any better I'd say you're going to miss me."

"Good thing you know better, then," Kidd shucked his pants and crawled under the covers, pulling Law close when the smaller man joined him. "The world is changing."

"The world's always changing." Law cleared his throat. "But things are going to be…interesting from now on, to put it mildly."

"Understatement of the age," Kidd agreed. "You'll come back?"

"What? Think I'll just abandon you?" Law smiled.

"We're enemies. We both want the same thing, and both of us can't have it. Therefore it only stands to reason…"

"Can we not talk about that?" Law turned so his back was to Kidd, staring at the wall of the ship.

"Sore spot?"

"Everything's gone to Hell. With Whitebeard dead, everything he protected that was unequivocally his is up for grabs. Other crews will move in to territories he kept safe. Pillaging, murder…rape…that's just the tip of it. Straw-Hat has something…that makes him unique. Maybe he's the only one who can save us all," Law mused.

"Never took you as the philosophical type."

"We have to look at the world first, and our own needs second. We both know none of those nobodies are going to find It, so we have time."

"And you want to stay in this illusion."

"Is that so wrong?" Law turned back and let Kidd pull him close. "An hour. That's all I can spare."

"Then we'd better make the most of it," Kidd returned with a smile that, for once, didn't look menacing.

And somehow, Law found it in himself to smile back.

**Mood: Mischievous**

**Rating: R**

**Pairing: ZoSan**

**Word Count: 481**

Zoro was a pretty conventional guy.

Sure, he was known to take absurd risks in battle, and most of what he did on a regular basis would get a normal man killed, but when it came to taverns he was a pretty conventional guy.

That is: he believed that when he went to a tavern, the reason he was going there was to get a drink.

Sanji, however, seemed _not _to be a conventional guy when it came to taverns, and when he had given Zoro a rather arousing smirk and gestured to the far corner of the room, Zoro supposed he should have known better than to go with him.

But he went, which was why he now found himself slammed up against the wall with Sanji's hand down his pants, thanking his training over and over because yes, he could manage to keep a straight face throughout almost _any _situation, and the way they were positioned they could have just as easily been having a private conversation.

But they weren't, obviously, and Sanji was _too good _with his hands…good enough that Zoro honestly had to work on keeping his expression impassive, especially when Sanji was doing _that _and…

"Oi, love-cook. Stop it."

"Hmm…" Sanji sounded like he was considering it. "No," he firmly fisted Zoro's now prevalent arousal and flicked his thumb over the head as Zoro let out a rather sub-vocal groan in his throat. "Nobody's watching," Sanji replied in a low voice, his hand barely moving, and Zoro's legs began to shake with the overwhelming need for release coursing through him. No man…no _human _but Sanji could ever make him want to lose control like this, and in the middle of a crowded bar this wasn't a good thing.

"Whatever you're going to do, do it," Zoro finally hissed into his ear.

"Why, Zoro, I thought you'd be _happy _that I'm paying this attention to you," Sanji sounded altogether too enthusiastic. "Seeing as how we _barely _get time to ourselves on the ship…but apparently you think I'm just a nuisance."

"Now, hold on, I never said…"

"It was implied," Sanji withdrew his hand and gave Zoro a rather sultry smirk before wiping it on Zoro's trousers. "Oh, and you might want to do something about that before you come back to the table. Not even your little towel is covering it," he tugged at Zoro's haramaki experimentally before winking and striding off, jamming his hands in his pockets and immediately floating to Nami's side and gushing about something-or-other as she sighed good-naturedly and patted him on the arm.

Zoro honestly wished he could hit his head against the wall, but instead tried to right his clothing, realized that Sanji was correct in saying that it couldn't be covered, and stalked despondently to the washroom to finish up himself.

Sanji was so going to pay for this later.

**Mood: Moody**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairing: None, just Nakama-ship**

**Word Count: 500**

"It's that time of the month."

"Which time? Ooh, do I get something special? Is that what you mean, Usopp?"

"_No, _Luffy. It's _that _time of the month."

"So I get a present."

"_No, Luffy," _Usopp and Chopper said together, both wondering how the other man could have gotten this far in life and _not _known about a little something called PMS. But then, this _was _Luffy, so it wasn't entirely surprising.

"Mah, I'm confused!"

"Luffy, let me put it this way: once a month, girls go through a period where they're generally short-tempered and moody, and it's best for us to stay out their way when they get there, alright?" Usopp said. "Or else Nami's liable to hit you."

"Mah, Nami's so mean! I don't want her to hit me!"

"Then stay out of her way," Usopp and Chopper said in unison, and Luffy shrugged and rocketed himself to the opposite end of the ship, causing the two to breathe a unison sigh of relief.

000

"How are you today, Nami-swan?"

"I'm okay," Nami smiled up at Sanji, amazed as always that he seemed to know when she was feeling off and toned down his theatrics accordingly. There was just genuine care in his tone at the moment. "Cramping up a little, but I can make do."

"I've brought you some painkillers if you want," he dropped a couple of white tablets on the table beside her papers and set a glass of water carefully down. "Let me know if you need anything else."

"Just keep Luffy away from me for the next few hours and I'll be fine," she told him, reaching to pat his arm. "Oh, by the way: you grew up on a ship full of men, didn't you? How do you know about…you know," she shrugged.

"Because, unlike Luffy, I have instincts. And I asked Robin-chan," he added at her disbelieving glare.

"Fair enough. Well, I appreciate it, Sanji-kun. Thank you."

"I'll go make Luffy something special to keep him out of your way," he nodded to her and headed back to the galley.

000

Unfortunately, not even the promise of food and hitting could keep Luffy away, and soon Nami had to deal with their hyperactive Captain hopping around and generally making a nuisance of himself.

Eventually, of course, he got unceremoniously punched in the head and flew across the ship, and a seething Nami shrieked at him until Sanji came running from the kitchen.

"Nami-swan! I made you tea!" he called loudly, and she immediately turned with a tired smile. "It's peppermint. It's supposed to be soothing," he explained, and she graciously took the cup.

"Thank you, Sanji-kun," she replied, apparently in a good mood once more.

000

Usopp and Chopper, who had been watching the whole ordeal, shook their heads, and Usopp wisely proclaimed, "Chopper, take it from an old pro: we're _never _going to understand women."

Chopper nodded and they watched with horror as Luffy made his way toward Nami again.

**Mood: Morose**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairing: Shanks/Mihawk**

**Word Count: 500**

**Warning: Spoilers for recent chapters**

"I thought I'd find you here."

"Couldn't go far. Not that anybody down there would remember my…comments. I think they're all far too distracted," Mihawk crossed his arms and looked down on the figures of the World Government running like ants across the ruins of the battle.

"Thank you."

"For what, pray-tell?"

"What you said. If you hadn't…we could still be fighting."

"There are more important things than war. Especially a war I had no interest in partaking in in the first place. But you…"

"I have my work cut out for me if I don't want total anarchy, is that it?"

"The government is disgraced, no matter how hard they try to pretend they've won this war. You're the one every pirate is going to be looking to now. Well…those that aren't completely rogue yet," the swordsman looked darkly amused by this.

"Stop it. I don't…I don't know if I can fix this," Shanks admitted. "Whitebeard controlled so much, did so much. He deserved to be the most powerful pirate in the world, and I…I'm young. I'm rather inexperienced, all things considered. I like to have too much fun."

"Stop bringing yourself down," Mihawk admonished him. "I'm the pessimist, remember?"

"Well, if you start spouting drivel about how the world is wonderful, I'll think you're being controlled, that's for sure," Shanks replied dryly, but he was almost smiling.

"We'll make it," Mihawk said instead.

"And you'll help me?"

"I don't see how I can without my position being in danger, but if you need a Shichibukai around to make a point, I'll see what I can do," Mihawk shrugged. "I'm more loyal to you than them regardless, you know that."

"Amazing what sleeping with a man can do for loyalty."

"It goes both ways."

"And don't I know it," Shanks hooked his good arm around Mihawk's neck and hauled him in for a slow kiss. "I'm glad you're alright."

"It's me. It's not like I'd let anything happen."

"Still," Shanks didn't let go and Mihawk made no move to extract himself. "So much death and destruction. And Ace…"

"It's a shame," Mihawk agreed. "That young man had so much passion, and he was ill-fated merely because of his who his father was. And Straw-Hat…"

"Luffy's strong," Shanks said immediately. "And as resilient as that rubber he's made from. But this…I'm worried it may break him. I just hope that Law fellow knows what he's about."

"I've heard stories of Trafalgar Law. He's an enigma, but I think he can be trusted."

"He'll hear it straight form me if he can't be," Shanks growled, and Mihawk chuckled to himself.

"You're a menace, you know that? And they all think _I'm _the dangerous one."

"You are," Shanks assured him. "But I'm going to have to be more dangerous than ever to get through this unscathed."

"Nothing ever stays the same," Mihawk said cryptically.

"Except us?"

"Except us."

Shanks sighed. "Well, work to do," he nodded before heading back into the chaos.

**Mood: Naughty**

**Rating: PG-ish**

**Pairing: ZoSan**

**Word Count: 476**

"And you'll listen to me?"

"Yeah. Promise," Zoro nodded, his fingers almost convulsively carding through Sanji's hair.

"And you won't…"

"Sanji, get on with it!"

"I thought I was in control," the blonde smirked at him in a rather infuriating way.

"You…you are. You are, okay? Now just…"

"Right, then," Sanji stood up and clapped his hands, spinning gracefully on his heel. "I'm teaching you to bake a cake for Nami-swan's birthday."

"You're _what?" _

"You said you wanted to help out, and I don't have time to cook dinner _and _dessert!" Sanji protested. "So you're baking a cake. And I'm not putting out until you get it right."

"Tosser," Zoro swiped at him but Sanji nimbly hopped out of the way. "I'm useless in the kitchen."

"You'll learn. Now here, you can read, right? Follow the recipe."

Zoro grumbled at his back but ultimately did as he was told.

000

"Hmm," Sanji was inspecting the finished product, noting that it _looked _edible but not really trusting it. And there was no way he was going to let Zoro ice the thing. No way.

"Well?"

"Well, I guess we'll have to see until tonight," Sanji said slowly, glancing up to gauge Zoro's reaction.

"I have to wait until _tonight?"_

"Of course! We can't cut into the cake, Nami-san will notice! But…I _am _making you try it first, just in case you keel over."

"Die," Zoro said emphatically.

"Oh, yes. Or in case you die. Lucky we have a doctor on board, yes?" he smirked, knowing exactly what he was doing to Zoro. "Now shoo. I'll finish up."

Zoro tried to sneak a kiss but Sanji stopped him with a knee to the chest, and he wandered out, muttering death-threats in the cook's general direction.

000

"So _now _can we have sex?"

"No," Sanji was drying dishes. The cake had, to his great surprise, been quite tasty (although he suspected that had more to do with his impeccable icing job than Zoro's baking abilities), but now he was finishing up the dishes and planning to make cinnamon buns for breakfast – which had to be made the night before, naturally.

"But you're almost done…"

"I _told _you, I have to get breakfast ready. Give me a couple hours."

"A couple _hours?!" _

"Yes. Now leave, you're distracting me," Sanji glared at him, causing Zoro to throw his hands up and mutter his way from the kitchen once more. Sanji had a feeling most of what he was saying was somewhat less than complimentary, but at the moment he couldn't care.

Teasing Zoro was, after all, far too much fun.

And yes, he knew the other man would get back at him, but that was the point of the game.

And then Sanji would just have to come up with something even better for next time.

**Mood: Nervous**

**Rating: Haha, it's pretty tame. **

**Pairing: None. Hence why the rating is tame.**

**Word Count: 500**

**Notes: 'Starving artist' AU. A plot has emerged. Kind of.**

SLAM!

Sanji jumped out of bed, his heart beating wildly as he ran for the window and stared through the grime at the street below.

The cause of the noise soon revealed itself to be a rather high-model Mercedes, which was driving away from the curb leaving behind a person and quite a few suitcases.

New neighbor?

Maybe, he supposed. The suite below had been for rent for quite a while, but why would anybody moving into _this _neighbourhood be dropped off in a Mercedes, of all things?

Well, anyway, the guy obviously needed help: he couldn't move all of the bags himself, and if he went inside with only some of them he would only come out to find the rest had been carried off by people looking for a handout.

Sanji sighed and pulled on a ratty old pullover before rushing down the stairs and out the door. "Hey."

The other man turned quickly, accidentally knocking a suitcase over in the process and chuckling at his own clumsiness. "Sorry. You startled me."

"Look, I don't know what your story is, but this isn't exactly the best neighbourhood," Sanji shrugged.

"Oh, believe me, I know. But I can afford the rent," the other shrugged, glancing rather anxiously from side-to-side.

"Hey, I'm not gonna mug you," Sanji sighed and held out a hand. "The name's Sanji. I live on the top floor."

"Charmed, I'm sure," the other man took his hand in a firm grip. "I'm Kaku."

"Welcome to the neighbourhood, then, Kaku," Sanji stuffed his hands in his pockets. "You want a hand with those?"

"Oh! If you don't terribly mind…"

Sanji did, but he figured he'd be charitable anyway as he led the way up the stairs and shoved the door of the second floor suite open. "Here you go."

"How do you…"

"Hey, suites don't stay empty long here, despite the appearance," Sanji glanced inside, noticing a cockroach scuttling for a hole in the wall. "Sorry about the bugs."

"B-bugs?" the other man stuttered, and Sanji rolled his eyes.

Great. Kid probably just rolled out of his parent's mansion and had no idea what life was like in the real city. He'd seen it often enough; most times they went home after a week or so. "Yeah. Cockroaches. They generally don't stick around once they realize people have moved in, but they'll be active for a couple of weeks."

"Oh. Wonderful," Kaku was looking decidedly green.

"You can…" Sanji sighed, feeling a little sorry for the kid (and never mind the fact that Kaku was obviously older) despite himself. "You can come up to the loft. If you want."

"I…are you sure? You live…"

"I've got four roommates, but none of them are around. They won't care," he shrugged.

"Oh, I…thank you," Kaku glanced shyly down at the floor.

"Come on, then," Sanji motioned as he strode out, somehow not able to shake the feeling that there was more to this newcomer than first met the eye.

**Mood: Nostalgic**

**Rating: PG-15**

**Pairing: Lucci/Kaku**

**Word Count: 500**

It had been nearly two years.

Two years since the government had decided they were liabilities rather than assets, and seven years since they had had a quick get-in-get-the-job-done-get-out mission. Granted, this one was self-decided, but the fact remained that the pirate crew terrorizing that trading town had to be disposed of.

Lucci, true to his nature, took this _very _seriously, which was why Kaku pushed open the door of the captain's cabin to find walls and floor liberally coated with blood and a very satisfied cat in the middle of it.

"Lock the door," Lucci growled, and Kaku complied, knowing where this was going and looking forward to it in a perverse way.

Lucci was a sadist; there was no getting around the fact, but Kaku was consistently amazed at what a little violence could do to his sex drive.

Not that the sex was _bad _without it, per say, but Lucci was rather stoic for the most part and his libido was rather carefully controlled, so to see him lose control was something to be treasured.

And yes, Kaku _did _manage a split second to look around and realize that the body of the dead captain was thankfully no longer in sight before the leopard was on him, and from then on in it was literally a fight for survival.

Not that Lucci would ever _kill _him…at least, he didn't think so, but after so long…

Well, Lucci just wasn't going to get the better of him, that was all, he decided before tightly gripping Lucci's shoulders and using his rather considerable leg strength to flip them, determined to enjoy this as much as humanly possible.

000

"We're lying in a dead man's bed."

"The dead man isn't in it," Lucci sounded completely deadpan as he muttered this into the pillow. "Therefore I hardly care."

"It's a tad disconcerting."

"Then _move," _the man growled.

"You're touchy," Kaku realized, mentally adding up dates in his head and coming to a conclusion he should have seen before this whole incident. "And it's your birthday."

"I'm thirty," Lucci opened an eye. "I'm old."

"Rob…"

"Keep whatever you're going to say in," Lucci ordered. "My fighting skills may not suffer for a few years, but…"

"Believe me, my dear, your skills in bed have not suffered either," Kaku patted his shoulder.

"And even if they had?" Lucci closed his eyes again.

"I wouldn't tell you," Kaku shrugged, running a hand through his reddish-gold hair. "Besides, I wouldn't know. You're the only lover I've ever had."

"Lover?" Lucci scoffed. "I thought that there actually had to be a measure of _love _involved before one could use that word."

"Isn't there?" Kaku asked softly.

"I…" Lucci paused uncharacteristically before slinging an arm around Kaku and pulling him close. "I'm getting soft in my old age."

"I'm not complaining," Kaku slid a hand down Lucci's side. "So, old man, too tired to go again?"

Lucci thankfully spent the rest of the afternoon proving him wrong.

**Mood: Numb**

**Rating: PG**

**Pairing: Ace/Sanji**

**Word Count: 499**

**Warnings: SPOILERS! SPOILERS AHOY!**

It's been a while since the news arrived, although he couldn't give you an exact time if you asked. He's standing on a tall cliff, looking over the waves, his hands clenched into fists so tight his nails are digging into his palms.

It can't be true.

It can't.

He couldn't…he wouldn't just go and _die _like that.

It's…

He sighs before lighting a cigarette, the wind whipping his long fringe across his eyes. He takes a shaky drag, exhaling a winding, disjointed column of smoke before the white stick falls from his nervous fingers to land on the dew-covered grass.

Why is he shaking? It's not like…it was a fling, that's all. Just a fling, because they were together and they had a connexion and yeah, Ace is…was?...pretty hot.

And no, no past tense. Not yet. Not until he hears it from Luffy's mouth.

He's been trying to cry for a while, now, but it's like the world has stopped. Everything's muted: colors, sounds, and when he moves it's like trudging through the thick, heavy syrup Nami and Robin love on their ice-cream sundaes.

The sun is setting now, turning the sky bright orange and red; the color of fire (andnocan'tthinkaboutfirecan'tthinkaboutfirenotwhen…).

But he doesn't _feel _anything. There's no anger. No despair. No…there's just _nothing. _

He knows how grief can take control of a body, but is this normal? Is this…

Unbidden, a memory springs to mind of the last conversation they had, right before the other man disappeared without a trace.

"_Thought you were gone."_

_ "Couldn't leave without saying goodbye," Ace had replied, indomitable grin on his freckled face as he held his floppy hat in place with one hand. _

_ "Well, make it quick. They're going to wonder."_

_ "You worry too much," Ace was rolling a tiny ball of fire between his fingers the way most people would attempt to roll a coin. "And besides, I worded that wrong."_

_ "Which part?"_

_ "Stop sulking," Ace chided him gently. "The part where I said 'goodbye.' This isn't goodbye, Sanji. We'll meet again."_

_ "Yeah," Sanji agreed, because at that point he had no reason not to. "Do I at least get a kiss?"_

_ "As if I could deny you that," Ace glanced around before drawing him into a tight embrace, lips and tongues meeting as…_

Dead. He's dead. There won't _be _a next time, because he's _dead. _

And _now _the anger comes, but it's not anger at his killer: no, it's anger at _him _for making such a false promise. Because they _aren't _going to see each other again, and…

And suddenly the anger's gone again and he's numb, taking his lighter out and flicking it to just to see the fire, the life inside.

It's only a matter of time, he decides, until this brain-fog passes and the reality hits him full force. And it's going to be ugly, he's sure of that.

"You promised," he whispers to the wind; words carried away like slowly dying embers on the evening breeze.

**Mood: Optimistic**

**Rating: PG at most**

**Pairing: None.**

**Word Count: 500**

"I'm going to do it, you know."

"What, Bakanky?"

"I'm going to build a ship that's greater than the _Oro Jackson_. It's going to sail around the entire _world!" _Franky threw his skinny arms up and promptly overbalanced, landing on his rear on the stony ground.

Iceburg rolled his eyes and set his large mallet down, placing one hand casually on his hip and staring down at his companion. "And how do you plan to accomplish this?"

"Adam wood!"

"Right. Good luck with that," Iceburg removed his white bandana and used it to wipe his brow, letting his hair blow free in the wind.

"Tom's gonna help me!"

"Sure, kid," Iceburg looked up at the ship they were currently working on and went to pick up his tools.

"Hey, _listen to me!" _

"Look, Bakanky, we all have dreams, right? Just…get a realistic one," Iceburg told him firmly.

"It _is _realistic. It can be done! I'm gonna do it!"

"Knock yourself out," Iceburg stared disdainfully at his now not-so-white bandana. "Hey, whadd'ya say we get some lunch?"

"I'm starving!" Franky agreed, hopping up from where he'd fallen and running madly across the rocks.

"Put some pants on!" Iceburg called after him, shaking his head and arranging his tools so that they'd be ready when he came back from lunch. He could hear Franky pestering Kokoro for some food all the way across the yard as he headed back to the small house. "And be nice to Kokoro," he added as he walked in the door, frowning as Franky was seated at the table and demanding food. Loudly.

"You boys eat up, now. I need to run to town," Kokoro set the sandwiches she had made on the table and headed out as Iceburg went to freshen up before seating himself.

Luckily, Franky had actually left him a couple of sandwiches, and he quickly snatched them before the younger boy could get any ideas. "So you really don't believe me?"

"It's not that," Iceburg heard the rather pensive tone in Franky's voice and decided to be upfront with him. "I've just…learned not to put much stock in dreams."

"You can be part of my dream," Franky said softly. "You can help me build it."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. You're an idiot, Bakaburg, but you build good ships," Franky proclaimed with his mouth full, causing Iceburg to roll his eyes.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," he muttered before digging into his own sandwich.

"I mean it! I mean, I _could _do it all by myself, but with us together, it'll be the best ship ever!" he crowed, pounding his fist enthusiastically on the table and nearly upending his glass of water.

"Oi, careful!" Iceburg chuckled, finding the other boy's enthusiasm infectious.

"So is that a deal?" Franky stuck his hand across the table, and Iceburg reached to shake it firmly.

"It's a deal," he nodded, and somehow a part of him knew that Franky's dream was, one way or another, going to come true.


End file.
